As Gold Prices Soar, Criminals Catch On

(Photodisc)

It seems like nearly every day this summer, the price of gold hits a new high. Today is no exception. Not surprisingly, criminals around the world are starting to take notice. First, from Stuart Pfeifer writing in the LA. Times:

So far this year, gold chains have been snatched from the necks of at least 110 people during street robberies in Olvera’s South Los Angeles division. His officers are circulating fliers and showing up at churches and community centers to warn residents to stop wearing gold in public, or at least to tuck it under their clothes.

L.A.’s downtown jewelry district has been hit by a recent surge of smash-and-grab jobs, like this one caught on camera in June:

Authorities in Oakland are reporting a sudden rise in street muggings where thieves are snatching gold jewelry right off of people.
Last year, Iraq was hit by a handful of high profile gold heists that turned deadly, like this one last May, and this one in October.
And in Guyana, gold miners are being targeted. Last week, a miner was shot to death and his son was beaten and buried alive. According to the AP, so far this year, 26 people have been killed in Guyana gold mines.