LPB 44/2022 ROBBERIES AND BURGLARY, ON AND AB We have received the following recent reports of two robberies and a burglary in Ontario and Alberta: At approximately 5 PM on Tuesday 27 June 2022 an unknown number of persons entered a 22K gold jewellery store located in a shopping centre in the area of Finch Ave E and Middlefield Road, Scarborough ON. One person buzzed for admittance; once the door was opened he held the single door open while two others entered the store. They were in the store for less than a minute and reportedly made off with a very large value of gold jewellery.  A Whitby jewellery business was broken into at approximately 2.00 AM on Sunday 22 May 2022 and a large value of jewellery that was left out of safe was stolen. See the following media report: https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/thieves-net-more-than-100-000-in-whitby-jewelry-store-smash-and-grab-1.5931471. This loss occurred last month but we did not see this report until yesterday. We have received an unconfirmed and unsubstantiated report of a robbery involving a jeweller that occurred in Bonnie Doon AB. The date of the alleged robbery is unknown and we have no further details. TIPS:  •    Any jeweller can be targeted for robbery, no matter whether the business is in an enclosed mall, the high street or anywhere else! Always treat the possibility of robbery as a serious threat! Do not imagine that your business is too small to be robbed, your store is too remote from the city, or that you are too well protected! •    Wherever possible we recommend all retail jewellers install and use controlled entry systems. This is especially important when there may be only one person in the store. If you use controlled entry, give your staff clear authority to deny entrance to customers if the employee feels it is unsafe to do so. •   Jewellers should review and if necessary upgrade their security measures to reduce the likelihood of robbery. Such measures might include reducing the amount of stock on display, hiring on-site security, installing and using a controlled entry system, or admitting clients by prior appointment only. Tempered or plate glass offers little or no resistance to attack. Consider replacing vulnerable front windows and glass doors with laminated glass, have it professionally treated with anti-shatter film, or add bars or other barriers behind the glass to slow attackers' progress.  •    Try to have at least two persons in your store at all times. Never leave the sales floor unattended when the store is open to the public!  •    We recommend jewellers install showcases made of laminated glass, or that are protected on all surfaces with a professionally-installed shatter-resistant film. Showcases made of such material will resist attack longer than ordinary glass and may help to reduce the amount of the loss. Frames should similarly be made of materials resistant to physical attack. •    There is no reason to place all your stock into your showcases, especially if you carry multiple examples of similar or identical pieces (i.e. gold chain, watches etc.). Consider displaying only a third or a half of your stock at a time, and keep the rest locked in your safe.  •    Opening and closing times are common times for jewellers to be robbed. Do not admit anyone other than employees while setting up for the day, or once you have closed for business. •    Install and use a good quality video recording system. Make sure there are enough cameras to capture video of every part of the store, and that recordings are saved and retrievable for at least thirty days. A good camera system may provide valuable evidence to investigators. Do not depend on others to operate the system for you: learn how to use it yourself. •    If you are robbed, you have lost control of the situation and cannot prevent the robbery without risking the lives of yourself and your staff. Obey all instructions and do not resist. Do NOT press the panic button until it is safe to do so. Your aim must be to get the robbers out of the store as quickly as possible and minimise the risk of harm to yourself and your staff. Your life is more important than your jewellery!   NEW: Are you aware of a crime against a jeweller or jewellery business that might be of interest to us and other jewellers? Contact your broker, or email us at tips@jewellersblock.com.

For further information on crime prevention, please call CJB Insurance at 416-787-3427, or visit our website at www.jewellersblock.com.