Four Suspects Smash and Grab Michael Hill Jewelry Store at Burlington Mall

Four men in black clothing and face coverings walked into the Michael Hill store at Mapleview Shopping Centre in Burlington shortly before 4 p.m. on March 16 and went straight for the display cases, hammers in hand. Const. Jeff Dillon of the Halton Regional Police Service confirmed the suspects smashed through the glass cases and fled with multiple pieces of jewelry. No staff or shoppers were injured.

Investigators determined the getaway vehicle, a Honda CRV, had been stolen from Toronto.

The March 16 robbery was not an isolated event. On January 25, four masked suspects had entered the same Michael Hill location just before 3 p.m., again using hammers to break open display cases and steal multiple pieces of jewelry. That crew fled in a newer-model dark grey Honda Civic driven by a fifth suspect waiting outside. Halton Regional Police Service has yet to link the two Michael Hill incidents, and no arrests have been announced in connection with either case.

The pattern at Mapleview Mall extends beyond Michael Hill. On February 20, four suspects entered Charm Diamond Centres at 900 Maple Avenue in the same mall at approximately 7:50 p.m. and used hammers to access numerous display cases. Police described the men inside the store as male, between 5'5" and 5'8", with small builds and wearing dark clothing and face coverings. They fled in a waiting black Honda CRV, possibly driven by a fifth suspect. There were no reported physical injuries to staff or mall patrons in that incident either.

Then, just days after the March 16 Michael Hill robbery, a vehicle smashed into the front of Buy N Sell City, a pawn shop less than one kilometre from Mapleview Mall. Four masked suspects jumped out and ran into the business around 4:50 p.m. on a Thursday, making off with jewelry, watches, and coins. Kwame Akuffo, who has owned Buy N Sell City for 26 years, said the total value of the stolen goods exceeded $100,000. "Shocked. It's your life; you don't realize your life can change, just like that," Akuffo said, adding that he initially thought someone had accidentally reversed into the storefront.

Akuffo also pointed to why jewelry theft has become so lucrative right now: "Gold and silver prices have gone up like crazy in the past few months. One gram of gold is $222." It was not his first loss. In May 2015, thieves cut through the roof of his business overnight and took a safe full of jewelry. Having lived through that, Akuffo said he warned his staff just days before the latest robbery not to intervene if the same type of attack happened to them.

The 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau is asking anyone with dash-cam or security footage from around the time of the February 20 Charm Diamond Centres robbery to call 905-825-4777 ext. 2316. Anonymous tips for any of the investigations can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or at haltoncrimestoppers.ca. As of publication, no suspects have been charged in connection with any of the four incidents.