‘A deliberate and coordinated crime:' Police arrest smash-and-grab robbery suspects following brief pursuit in Hamilton
Five people, four of whom are youths, were arrested following a smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry story in a Hamilton mall on Wednesday night.
Police say that four masked suspects entered Peoples Jewellers inside Eastgate Square mall just before 8 p.m. and used hammers to shatter display cases and seize merchandise.
Investigators say that the robbery only lasted for about 20 seconds, at which point mall security responded and made their presence known, prompting the suspects to flee.
From there, one of the security guards followed the suspects from a safe distance and made note of the grey Honda Civic they were seen entering.
That information was passed on to responding officers, who were soon able to locate the vehicle travelling at a 'dangerous speed' through heavy traffic on Queenston Road, police say.
Moments later, the vehicle struck a curb and came to an abrupt stop on the Red Hill Valley Parkway off-ramp with two flat tires.
The suspects fled on foot but police say that all of them were apprehended by officers in the surrounding areas.
The arrests were all made within 20 minutes of the initial robbery report, police say.
'This robbery was a deliberate and coordinated crime carried out by individuals from outside the city, reflecting a concerning trend of similar 'smash-and-grab' incidents across the GTHA,' police said in a news release. 'Thanks to timely community reporting, the attentiveness of mall security, and a swift, coordinated police response, all suspects were located and arrested within 20 minutes, and the stolen property was successfully recovered.'
Police say that the suspects taken into custody include a 18-year-old male from Mississauga, two 17-year-old males from Brampton and a 13-year-old and 16-year-old from Toronto.
Police say that the vehicle the suspects were travelling in was subsequently determined to be stolen from Toronto.
Officers located bear spray, black plastic bags, jewelry and a hammer in the vehicle.
The suspects are each charged with robbery, possession of stolen property and disguise with intent.
'Due to the seriousness of the offence and the organized nature of the crime, bail was opposed,' police said in the news release.
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