|
LPB 50/2022
ROBBERY WARNING: ARMED ROBBERY, OSHAWA ON At approximately 6.20 pm on Wednesday 20 July, four persons approached a retail jewellery business in an enclosed mall in the area of Stevenson Road South and King Street West, Oshawa ON. At least one carried a firearm and and used it to threaten the owner. They then smashed showcases and removed an unknown quantity of jewellery. Fortunately, no-one was injured. Police have attended and are examining video footage from the store's video camera system. The investigation is ongoing. COMMENT: our LPB 49/2022 of yesterday assessed that the risk of robbery in the greater Toronto area was severe and that another robbery was likely imminent. Unfortunately, this assessment was correct. We are now seeing robberies, some involving firearms and other weapons, of retail jewellers approximately every three to five days. These jewellers are typically, but not exclusively, located in indoor retail malls. Jewellers located in indoor malls have historically been less likely to suffer serious crime losses than most other classes of jewellers, but this is no longer true. Such jewellers are just as vulnerable as any other jewellery business. We have also seen robbers return days or weeks later to rob other jewellers in the same mall, or even in one case the same jeweller for a second time. Fortunately, to the best of our knowledge, no one has been physically injured so far. However, the frequency of these robberies is such that it is probably inevitable that sooner or later someone will be injured or worse. WARNING: We assess that all jewellers in the greater Toronto area, and particularly those in enclosed retail malls, are currently at extreme risk of armed robbery. RECOMMENDATIONS: once inside your store, robbers typically smash showcases and displays to remove jewellery stock. Jewellers whose showcases and displays are laminated or otherwise protected typically have considerably lower smash and grab losses than jewellers whose showcases are made of plate or tempered glass, neither of which have any resistance to attack. While it is comforting to think that the police or mall security, or even passersby, will intervene to assist you, the reality is the only person jewellers can count on to help during a robbery is themselves. We therefore recommend jewellers take the following actions today:
NB: given current events, it is possible that controlled entry and/or protected showcases and displays may become an insurance requirement for retail jewellers. NEW: Are you aware of a crime against a jeweller or jewellery business that might be of interest to other jewellers? Contact your broker, or email us at tips@jewellersblock.com |
|
