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LPB 33/2022
SECURITY ALERT: EXTREME RISK OF ARMED ROBBERY, GREATER TORONTO AREA ON Since sending our LPB 32/2022 of earlier today reporting an armed robbery of a Stouffville ON jeweller at around 3.30 pm today, we have received reports of two further robberies of retail jewellers which also occurred today. One robbery took place at Erin Mills Town Centre, Mississauga ON. The second took place at Sherway Gardens Mall in Etobicoke ON, and targeted the same retail jewellery store that was robbed on 02 May 2022. There are indications that the same people who carried out the robbery of 02 May 2022 at that store also carried out today's robbery. We do not know whether the same people were involved in all three robberies, or any of the previously reported robberies, and have no further details of these robberies at this time. COMMENT: It is now abundantly clear that Toronto-area retail jewellers are being targeted by one or more robbery gangs. Earlier reports of arrests of some of the members of this gang or gangs appear to have had no effect on the gang's ability to carry out robberies. We strongly recommend that all retail jewellers act NOW to reduce the risk of robbery until this gang is apprehended! Measures that may help to reduce the likelihood of a loss include but are not limited to: - installing and using a controlled entry system, or introducing a locked door policy - hiring in-store security guards - admitting clients by prior appointment only - reducing the amount of stock in your display case - if you are in a mall, ask mall management to visibly increase security patrols during business hours Some of the above measures, such as reducing the amount of stock in your showcases, can be implemented immediately and at no cost. Others, such as hiring in-store unarmed security, or an off-duty armed police officer, will have a cost impact. These costs, while considerable, are far lower than the cost of the disruption you will suffer if your store is robbed. You should implement as many of these measures as you can. There may be other measures you can implement that are not mentioned above. Finally, we strongly recommend that, whether this gang is caught or not, any retail jeweller who is able to do so should install a controlled entry system as soon as possible. |
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