In this edition of Crime Report, four incidents reported in Ontario and Quebec highlight a range of tactics being used against jewellery retailers, including armed smash-and-grab robberies, distraction thefts, and attacks involving weapons. The incidents occurred in Hamilton, Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa, and Rosemère.

Hamilton

A jewellery retailer at Lime Ridge Mall in Hamilton, Ont., was robbed at approximately 10:10 a.m. on Monday, September 21. Two male suspects entered the store, with one using a steel pipe to break open display cases. The suspects removed several gold chains before fleeing to a waiting vehicle outside the mall.

A mall patron attempted to obtain the vehicle’s licence plate and became involved in an altercation with one of the suspects, sustaining injuries.

The suspects are described as two males between approximately 17 and 20 years old. One wore a red tracksuit and the other a brown tracksuit. The vehicle was reportedly a stolen black Hyundai Elantra.

Sault Ste. Marie

A distraction theft at a jewellery business in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., on September 19 involved two men posing as customers. The suspects distracted the staff and stole two gold chains valued at more than $20,000.

The owner subsequently tracked the suspects to Wawa, approximately 160 km (99.4 miles) north of Sault Ste. Marie contacted the Ontario Provincial Police. Police arrested both men and recovered the stolen jewellery.

The suspects were instructed to return to the OPP detachment in Sault Ste. Marie for fingerprinting. There is concern, however, that they may instead travel west and target additional jewellery businesses.

Jewellers in Ontario and further west should remain alert. The suspects were reportedly travelling in a grey Honda Odyssey. Retailers who recognize the individuals are advised not to confront them and to contact the police.

Ottawa

At approximately 7:39 p.m. on September 17, a lone male entered a jewellery store at Bayshore Shopping Centre in Ottawa and used a hammer to break open a display containing gold chains.

The suspect fled with chains, but an employee from another business in the mall attempted to intervene. During the encounter, the suspect dropped most of the stolen jewellery and the hammer before fleeing the mall.

Surveillance footage reportedly indicates the suspect may be connected to other recent thefts in the Ottawa area. A driver’s licence left behind during one of those incidents allowed police to identify him.

The suspect is described as a white male with a slim build, approximately 5 feet 8.5 inches tall, and believed to be 52 years old. He was wearing light blue jeans, a dark blue or black long-sleeve pullover with a partial white zipper, and a black baseball cap. He was reportedly clean-shaven with short grey hair and no visible tattoos or facial or forearm scars.

Rosemère

A jewellery store at Place Rosemère in Rosemère, Quebec, was targeted on Monday, September 21, by a group of suspects armed with axes and pepper spray.

According to Quebec police and media reports, five suspects entered the store and used axes to smash display cases and remove jewellery. According to the police, four suspects were arrested shortly afterwards. No one was reported injured, although some people at the mall were affected by pepper spray. Police said the suspects fled in a vehicle that was later abandoned near Highway 640. Quebec media have also reported a broader increase in jewellery-store thefts in the province.

The pattern

Taken together, these incidents demonstrate how quickly jewellery retailers can be targeted using very different approaches. In Hamilton and Rosemère, offenders used force and weapons to gain access to merchandise. In Ottawa, a hammer was used to smash a display before the suspect fled. In Sault Ste. Marie, the suspects relied on distraction and deception rather than force.

The incidents also underscore the importance of situational awareness beyond the storefront itself. Staff should remain alert to distraction techniques, unusual customer behaviour, and individuals who may be working together. During a robbery, personal safety should take priority over protecting merchandise.

For retailers, reviewing surveillance coverage, display security, staff procedures, and communication protocols can help ensure employees know how to respond when a theft or robbery occurs—and how to provide useful information to police afterward.

Information brought to you by CJB Insurance Services Inc.