LATEST STORIES:
Valentine’s Day ‘smash-and-grab’ robbery at Waterdown jeweller
Hamilton police have confirmed that yet another ‘smash-and-grab’ robbery has taken place — this time in Waterdown at Lebe Jewellers on Valentine’s Day.
The bold incident happened around 2 p.m. and police say that there were several witnesses to the crime.
According to reports and video footage five masked people believed to be in their teens burst into the store and began breaking glass casings with sledgehammers. One of the robbers smashed the front door on the way in.
The suspects grabbed a number of jewelry items, threatened to attack store owner Ben Yang and demanded that he open the store’s safe. He managed to persuade the thieves that nothing was inside the safe.
A blue BMW with a driver at the ready was spotted waiting for the robbers. The car sped off in an unknown direction.
No injuries were reported from the break-in.
Lebe Jewellers is located in a plaza at 255 Dundas St. East near Hamilton Street North and was opened by the Yang family only over a year ago.
Yang called the incident traumatizing and said that “the kids were fearless and had no shame.”
He added that the apparent young robbers targeted diamond jewelry, gold items and watches and that he does not expect to get the stolen items back.
Hamilton police are asking the public to be vigilant as robberies and related daytime crimes are on the rise in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area.
“If you do see something, please say something … These attacks in our community are becoming more brazen and we need the help of the public,” says Adam Kimber of Hamilton police.
READ MORE: Brantford police charge man in Valentine’s Day intimate partner attempted murder
