Crowbars and getaway cars: Ottawa police investigating series of brazen smash-and-grabs
Social Sharing
For the third time in a year and a half, thieves smashed the glass displays at Doucet Latendresse Jewelry and cleared valuables off the shelves.
The latest incident happened shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday, said store supervisor Hamza Nfifi.
Three masked individuals wielding hammers robbed the store while two employees took refuge in the back, he said.
"Our employees are safe, and that's what matters to us the most," he said.
What's becoming routine for workers at the Place D'Orleans jeweller is part of a series of similar crimes in Ottawa.
Since January, 10 smash-and-grab robberies have targeted businesses in the city, according to police.
The thefts have Canadian retailers raising the alarm, and the national retail advocacy group says the rising price of gold may be making the brazen daytime thefts more appealing.
There have been 10 smash-and-grab robberies in Ottawa since January: police
10 hours ago
Duration 2:02
Ottawa police say there appears to be an increase in the brazen daytime robberies. Retailers think the rising cost of gold is partly to blame.
'Hammers, crowbars'
Officers responded to calls for a robbery in progress at the Place D'Orleans mall Wednesday afternoon, according to a Thursday news release from the Ottawa Police Service (OPS).
Three males fled the scene in a stolen vehicle and remain at large, police said.
Police believe the same suspects were involved in an earlier failed robbery attempt at a jewelry store in Alfred, Ont., located about 55 kilometres east of Ottawa.
Less than an hour elapsed between the first unsuccessful robbery and the second successful one — about the time it takes to drive from Alfred to Place D'Orleans.
Of the 10 smash-and-grab robberies committed in Ottawa since January, three cases have led to charges against five people, according to OPS.
A police news release describes the crimes as "bold," often perpetrated by suspects wearing disguises and using getaway vehicles.
"It's an organized event in the sense that they know where they're going," OPS Sgt. Sammie Brennan said in an interview. "They hit their targets usually with hammers, crowbars, smashing glass, grabbing jewellery — and they're in and out quite quickly."
The police response is so far based on gathering intelligence and engaging with different sections of the service, he said.
'Trend is hitting Ottawa'
Brennan, who is with the OPS robbery unit, said the crimes appear to be increasing both across the province and in Ottawa-Gatineau.
"It started in the GTA [Greater Toronto Area]," Brennan said. "The trend is hitting Ottawa a bit, and that's a concern."
But exact figures are hard to come by.
Public OPS data shows 276 robberies so far this year. Ten of those are classified as smash-and-grabs, according to police.
Brennan said Ottawa-Gatineau is "seeing an increase right now," but to get a definite picture of trends over time, smash-and-grabs would have to be separated out from previous years of robbery data.
Police said they weren't able to make that information available in time for publication.
Price of gold
The Retail Council of Canada (RCC), an advocacy group representing retailers, said shoplifting costs Canadian businesses billions of dollars a year.
"In this specific case of jewlery, we have seen, over the last few months, an increasing value of gold," said Michel Rochette, Quebec president of the RCC. "The problem that was already existing for shoplifting, well, just increased a lot for all gold products."
Rochette said online marketplaces make it easier than ever to resell stolen goods, and retailers would like to see governments crack down more severely on organized crime.
"The problem is not only for retailers, but also for the consumer, who will see the price increase," he said. "That's a problem for everybody."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Police say alcohol and water don't mix
As boating season kicks off, police and Mothers Against Drunk Driving are urging the public to avoid operating boats under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Campaign signs on bridges remind boaters to stay sober and report suspected impaired operators by calling 911. Luke Simard has all the details.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Georgetown resident hit with nine charges in Erin safety blitz
A truck pulling a loaded flatbed trailer was stopped in Erin as part of a safety blitz on June 16, 2025. (Courtesy: Ontario Provincial Police) A driver from Georgetown is facing nine charges as part of an Ontario Provincial Police safety blitz in the Town of Erin. Officers were conducting a proactive traffic enforcement safety blitz on Monday. As part of the initiative, they stopped a driver on Wellington Road 124 around 9:30 a.m. A 20-year-old from Georgetown was charged with defective braking system, operating a vehicle without insurance, failure to display two plates on a motor vehicle, driving a motor vehicle without a currently validated permit, unsecured load, operating an unsafe combination of vehicles, failure to display an inspection sticker or proof, driving an overweight vehicle and using a plate not in accordance with regulations.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
City launches cleaning blitz to refresh Toronto's public spaces, streets and parks for the summer
Social Sharing Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow launched a new citywide initiative Saturday aimed at keeping public spaces clean, safe and well-maintained as people head outdoors to enjoy the summer weather. Under the initiative, which began Saturday, crews of 300 to 400 people will clean and refresh public spaces around the city. That work will include removing graffiti, weeds and litter from streets, sidewalks and parks, the City of Toronto said in a news release. "Too often we have garbage that might be overflowing. The streets are sometimes … not in [the] best shape and there's litter around," Chow said at an announcement Saturday. "That's why we need to create a cleaner, safer city for everyone." These cleaning blitzes will happen for several Saturdays over the next three months, the news release said. The cleaning crews will also install more than 600 new garbage and recycling bins to high-usage parks. Chow said these bins will have QR codes which people can scan to notify the city when a bin needs to be emptied. Crews will also conduct heightened enforcement and clean-up of "illegal dumping hotspots," the city's news release said. WATCH | Business owners call for end to illegal dumping at Scarborough plaza: Stop dumping trash in this Scarborough plaza, business owners say 5 months ago Duration 2:35 Business owners in a Scarborough plaza say they're frustrated with recurring piles of illegally dumped trash. CBC's Britnei Bilhete explains why cracking down on the issue is complicated. Chow said the crews will investigate who is responsible for illegal dumpings. "We will get you, so don't dump your garbage in a place where you shouldn't be," she said. They will also maintain trees, make repairs to potholes, bike lanes and bike rings, and repaint pavement markings, including crosswalks. The city said it will use data to identify neighbourhoods where cleaning blitzes are most needed. "Crews will resolve 311 service requests as well as applying an equity lens to prioritize cleaning and repairs in historically underserved, low-income and vulnerable communities where the city typically receives fewer 311 service requests," the news release said. The city said it is also hiring up to 30 students to join summer park cleaning teams and adding more custodial staff to maintain 21 outdoor pools.
