Cops and mall security ‘intercept’ Mississauga jewelry store heist

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Three suspected bandits were arrested when cops and security guards thwarted a smash-and-grab jewelry store heist at a Mississauga mall Friday night.

Peel Regional Police say officers on foot patrol inside Square One Shopping Centre – near Hurontario St. and Burnhamthorpe Rd. E. – and mall security came across the robbery in progress shortly before 9 p.m.

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“Multiple suspects, armed with hammers, entered one of the jewelry stores, began to smash the display cases in an attempt to steal jewelry,” Const. Tyler Bell said in a video posted later on X.

“As the suspects tried to flee, they were intercepted by officers and security and three individuals were taken into custody,” he explained.

One man and two teenage boys now face robbery charges.

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Bell said police are aware of a video showing a similar robbery at Erin Mills Town Centre earlier in the day.

“The Central Robbery Bureau, alongside the Criminal Investigations Bureau, are currently investigating both matters to determine if they are related and if there are any suspects outstanding,” he said.

Jewelry store robberies, more often than not involving teen boys and young men, have become common occurrences in the GTA in recent years.

Just last month, on April 22, five bandits burst into a Toronto jewelry store near Danforth and Pape Aves. armed with pepper spray, smashed the glass display cases with hammers and then fled in a stolen vehicle with an undisclosed quantity of jewelry.

Three Toronto men — aged 26, 19 and 18 — were later arrested as suspects in that heist.

Anyone with information regarding the Square One Shopping Centre investigation is urged to call the 11 Division Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-453-2121, ext. 1133, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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