A handful of young people arrested in connection with violent robbery at jewelers in Collingwood

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) patch on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

In June of this year, five masked people walked into the D.C. Taylor Jewellers in Collingwood and robbed the store.

Provincial police say the people arrived at the store on Hurontario Street armed with tools for the robbery. They smashed their way through the store stealing merchandise as they went and then fled in a car.

Police say the preliminary investigation indicated that the crime involved coordination and a certain degree of planning.

Using video surveillance and witness accounts, the Collingwood Ontario Provincial Police’s Crime Unit arrested and charged five young people for the robbery.

The charges were as follows:

• 21-year-old Mississauga person, charged with robbery with violence and possession of break in instruments.
• 19-year-old Torontonian charged with robbery with violence, possession of break in instruments, disguise with intent and possession of property obtained by crime.
• 16-year-old Pickering youth was charged with robbery with violence and possession of break in instruments, disguise with intent and possession of property obtained by crime
• 15-year-old youth from Mississauga, charged with robbery with violence, possession of break in instruments, disguise with intent and possession of property obtained by crime.
• 17-year-old Brampton youth was charged robbery with violence, possession of break in instruments, disguise with intent and possession of property obtained by crime and two counts of failing to comply with prior sentence.

The accused people under the age of 18, cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

They are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Collingwood at a future date.

The OPP is asking anyone with information or video footage related to this incident to contact the Collingwood OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Additionally, the Collingwood and the Blue Mountains OPP encourage businesses and residents to register their security cameras with the CAMSafe program.

The voluntary registry helps police identify video footage during investigations, as seen in this recent case in Collingwood. Police do not have live access to registered cameras, and participants retain full control, providing footage only upon request.