Smash and grab: Canada sees a spike in jewelry store robberies

Many cities across Canada are seeing a spike in jewelry store robberies in recent months.

On Wednesday, two men and four teenagers, including a 15-year-old boy, were seen smashing glass and stealing product at a jewelry store in Markham, Ont. Six people were arrested.

A jewelry store in Ancaster, Ont. was also the target of another robbery, the very next night.

Police say the driver of this truck reversed through the front window of the store where the suspects allegedly pointed a firearm at the store owner before smashing the display cases. Five people were arrested at the scene.

It’s all part of a new trend called swarming theft – a new tactic where groups of young people swarm store employees to steal expensive products.

“You’re seeing the amount of people involved in an individual incident are going up,” Scott Hayes of Jewelers Vigilance Canada, told CP24.com on Friday. “Where there were two or three people, we are seeing four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10. Depending on the size of the store and what is going on.”

The Toronto Police Service told CP24 that so far in 2024, there have been 43 jewelry store robberies reported to police in the GTA, compared to just 21 last year.

But it’s not just jewelry stores being targeted -- so too are retail stores. Video released from Edmonton police shows three people aggressively taking several products off a store wall.

The Retail Council of Canada says retail theft has been on the rise for the past few years, and many businesses owners are being impacted.

“There are victims, whether it’s people, whether it’s people’s businesses, or communities. Retail crime is just growing at a pace we would like to see reduced,” said Rui Rodrigues from Retail Council of Canada.

“Keep ahead of the trends,” Rodrigues says. “Try to stay connected as to what is going on in your community, reach out to local police and get some updated information so you could be best prepared.”

Criminologist Dr. Michael Weinrath from the University of Winnipeg says it’s time for all three levels of government to start investing more into things like mental health, social and addictions services.

“Everybody knows that inflation has gone up significantly,” he says. “So again, when these things happen, people get frustrated, you get people disaffected, engaging in drug abuse, so there is the broader things we need to do and there is a cost to that.”

Winnipeg police announced earlier this week that more officers will be stationed at some of the biggest shopping areas in the city throughout the holiday season.

Insp. Jennifer McKinnon with the WPS said this isn’t just for the safety of the shoppers, but for the employees too.

“As a police service, we are committing to the safety of our communities, our retailers, and employees throughout the holiday season,” she says.

“That message has never faltered.”