Audio Transcript

Mollie Halpern: Diamonds, gems, pearls—more than $1.5 billion worth of jewelry and other precious metals were stolen last year.

Eric Ives: It’s a crime that is international in scope.

Halpern: I’m Mollie Halpern of the Bureau, and this is FBI, This Week. Sophisticated criminal enterprises are often behind the interstate and international trafficking of highly valued stolen jewelry. Supervisory Special Agent Eric Ives says jewelry theft is a gateway crime.

Ives: Criminal enterprises involved in jewelry theft are also involved in other criminal activities, and the jewelry crimes are used to fund other criminal activities.

Halpern: It can lead to violence and even death of those in the jewelry industry. Cadres of special agents investigate these crimes as part of the FBI’s jewelry and gem program.

Ives: We have expert jewelry and gem investigators in the FBI, to include certified gemologists.

Halpern: The FBI partners with jewelry industry security experts who provide training, support cases, and maintain a database available to law enforcement. For more information, visitwww.fbi.gov.