$100K of jewellery taken in Ontario smash-and-grab

by Samantha Ashenhurst | June 6, 2022 10:32 am

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Thieves in Whitby, Ont., made off with more than $100,000 worth of rings, watches, and necklaces after smashing the window of a jewellery store in the wee hours of the morning on May 22.

The ‘smash-and-grab’ burglary occurred around 2 a.m. at a shop on Brock St., south of Dundas St. An unknown number of suspects smashed the store’s windows to gain entrance and, once inside, reportedly stole a large quantity of merchandise before fleeing, according to Durham Police[2].

Investigators do not have photos or descriptions of the suspects at this time.

In recent weeks, CJB Insurance Services has released reports of several violent crimes[3] occurring at jewellery stores in Toronto-area cities, including Mississauga, Newmarket, Stouffville, and Etobicoke. While the exact connection between the crimes remains unclear, CJB says jewellers in the area should be on high alert[4].

To help reduce the likelihood of loss, the group recommends jewellery retailers take the following measures:

• install and use a controlled entry system, or introduce a locked-door policy
• hire in-store security guards
• admit clients by prior appointment only
• reduce stock in display cases
• for stores located within shopping centres, ask mall management to visibly increase security patrols during business hours

For additional security tips, see Jewellery Business’s archive of Safety & Security columns[5].

Source URL: https://www.jewellerybusiness.com/news/100k-of-jewellery-taken-in-ontario-smash-and-grab/

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