‘They wrestled us off and they ran away': Fireworks robbery under investigation in Kitchener
Police are investigating after a group of teenage males allegedly stole merchandise from a fireworks retailer in Kitchener and assaulted an employee during their getaway.
Waterloo Regional Police say officers were called to a plaza near Ottawa Street South and Fischer-Hallman Road around 7:05 p.m. Monday for reports of a disturbance in the parking lot.
'I went to get some lunch for my workers and as soon I was just about to order food there, I got a call from one of the guys saying, 'Hey, we're getting robbed,'' said Sim Sahota, store operator at Phatboy Fireworks.
According to investigators, several unidentified teenage males entered a container-style fireworks vendor and stole an unknown quantity of fireworks. A disturbance broke out when a store employee confronted the group and the employee was reportedly assaulted.
No physical injuries were reported.
Phatboy fireworks
Police are investigating after a group of teenage males allegedly stole merchandise from a fireworks retailer in Kitchener, July 1, 2025 (Hannah Schmidt/CTV News).
'Luckily, we had a really Good Samaritan who was shopping at Walmart and he saw what was happening — that there were three guys trying to rob the store," said Sahota. 'He jumped in and he helped us out as well.'
Sahota says his employees were briefly able to retrain the teens during the robbery and managed to recover the stolen items.
'We pulled them back into the store...we ended up getting our fireworks back, which is good, and then basically they wrestled us off and they ran away,' explained Sahota.
The suspects were last seen fleeing the area in a vehicle. The investigation is ongoing.
Despite the scare, Sahota says it ended with everyone safe and the fireworks intact.
'We're much more vigilant now and whoever wants to come here, we usually respect everyone, but if somebody is coming here to try to rob us, they better think twice,' he said.
Anyone with information or video footage is asked to contact police at 519-570-9777 ext. 4497.
Monday's incident came less than 48 hours after another fireworks-related case in Uptown Waterloo.
Police say a firework was thrown at a person sitting on a bench near King Street South and Willis Way around 2:40 a.m. Sunday. It was tossed from a black pickup truck but did not go off. The victim was not injured.
The suspect is described as a white male, wearing a white hat and black T-shirt. Police seized the firework for further investigation.
Canada Day crackdown
Phatboy fireworks
Police are investigating after a group of teenage males allegedly stole merchandise from a fireworks retailer in Kitchener, July 1, 2025 (Hannah Schmidt/CTV News).
Kitchener's mayor confirmed there will be an increased security presence at Victoria Park for Canada Day in light of recent fireworks-related incidents.
'We've seen some incidents, not just here in our community, but in other communities as well, where a very small number of people, unfortunately, are using fireworks in a very irresponsible and dangerous way,' said Vrbanovic. 'The city has worked together with our emergency service partners and [are] putting an operational plan together that focuses on Victoria Park, the downtown area where obviously many people are gathering.'
It's a decision some residents say is necessary.
'I think [fireworks] are dangerous and I think people handle them recklessly,' said a Kitchener resident.
'I feel like if safety is promoted then that's a pro for me,' said another Kitchener resident. 'There's other ways people can celebrate too so it's not like they're banning celebrating.'
Starting in 2026, both Kitchener and Waterloo will ban fireworks sales within city limits. For this year's Canada Day, fireworks are only permitted between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.
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