Toronto police say they are concerned by the rising number of smash-and-grab robberies at jewelry stores after another one occurred in the area on Monday.
“We can tell you that TPS is concerned about the significant rise in jewelry store robberies across the city,” Const. Cindy Chung told Global News in an emailed statement.
“As of last week, 43 jewelry store robberies had been reported in 2024, compared to 21 during the same period last year—an increase of approximately 105 per cent. “
The robbery at Fairview Mall on Monday was one of a number involving a group of people using hammers in the Greater Toronto Area this month.
On Monday, police say officers were dispatched to Fairview Mall shortly after 1 p.m. after a robbery had been reported involving hammers at a jewelry store.
Video posted on social media shows six people running from the Chow Thai Fook jewelry store in what appeared to be security guards follow while filming.
Just minutes later, a suspect vehicle was involved in a collision just outside the mall, which is located in the city’s north end.
Thieves ran out of the vehicle after the two-vehicle collision at Fairview Mall Drive and Don Mills Road.
There were no injuries reported as a result of the robbery itself but the driver of the other vehicle was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
This latest robbery follows on the heels of similar robberies which occurred in Hamilton, Toronto and Markham over the first week of December.
On Dec. 5, four people were charged after a smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store in Hamilton Thursday night, according to police.
In that case, a vehicle was rammed into the front of the store before the suspects pointed a gun at the store’s owner and as the thieves smashed the display cases.
The store owner was hurt, and was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A day earlier, 12 people were involved in a smash-and-heist involving hammers at LukFuk Jewellery in Markville Shopping Centre.
Six were arrested after one of the vehicles involved in the robbery was involved in a collision outside of the shopping centre.
At the time of the incident, which was also caught on camera, police announced that they were looking for six other people in connection with the incident.
That incident followed on the heels of another daylight robbery at the Peoples Jewellers store in Hillcrest Mall on Dec. 2.
Police were left looking for five suspects after thieves used hammers to break glass and steal items from the store in Richmond Hill.