Plague of jewellery store robberies in Waterloo Region continues
Posted Feb 4, 2025 03:27:37 PM.
Last Updated Feb 4, 2025 03:27:42 PM.
Waterloo regional police had hoped that the new year would have seen an end to the string of smash-and-grab style thefts at mall jewellery stores in the region.
That hope lasted one month after a store in Conestoga Mall was targeted twice earlier this week.
Police say on Saturday, Feb. 1, six men entered the mall and tried to make their way to a jewellery store but a security officer spotted and confronted them. The group quickly fled.
Then on Monday afternoon, six men again entered the mall. This time a security guard yelled to the store to drop its security gate. That was enough to chase off the robbers again. The guard followed the suspects who fled in a waiting silver SUV.
These most recent incidents are near carbon copies of the nine robberies that occurred last year.
Despite the similarity, police have had a difficult time preventing them. Waterloo Regional Police Constable Brad Hickey told 570 NewsRadio it’s certainly not from a lack of trying.
“These investigations are very complex. They require a lot of follow-up from our investigators. A lot of them are also multi-jurisdiction, so they may be involved with other police services investigating the same individuals.”
It’s believed the two incidents at Conestoga Mall this week involved the same individuals but police can’t 100 per cent confirm that. A major part of all of these investigations is trying to identify the culprits.
Hickey says that oftentimes help comes from the the general public.
“We really rely on members of the public. Anyone who has any video footage. Anyone who sees anything at the mall. If you’re suspicious of any activity, if you see individuals entering the mall wearing masks or carrying duffel bags or anything like that, we really strongly encourage members of the public to contact 911 immediately.”
But, Hickey discourages the public from confronting the thieves themselves. He says there are obvious safety concerns for both the individual and other patrons at the mall. He strongly recommends just calling 911.
