Toronto police are seeking five sledgehammer-wielding men after $500,000 in gold, diamonds and other jewelry were taken from a jewelry store last month.
The January 17 incident began when store employees buzzed one man into the store at Islington Avenue and Albion Road, Staff Insp. Mike Earl told a news conference on Tuesday.
There were already two customers in the store. Once the first suspect was allowed in, he held open the door and the four other suspects, who were wearing masks, came in behind him.
Using the sledgehammers, "they started smashing glass in the jewelry display cases and loading (the jewelry) into laundry-type disposable bags," Earl said.
The owner's children were on the premises, but they were safe in a back room, he said, adding no one was injured.
The whole incident only took a matter of minutes, he said. The owners called police from the back room at about 5 p.m. while the robbers were still in the store. They had retreated there to protect their children.
"Let's go, let's go," were the only words the robbers uttered as they left the store, Earl said.
The suspects fled in a dark-coloured, older minivan.
"They took over the premises by fear and shock,” Earl said.
One or two of the suspects are white, but other than that, police have very little descriptive information.
The jewelry taken includes gold and diamond items, but police didn't release detailed descriptions.
Earl is looking for any retailers who may remember suspicious individuals who purchased the sledgehammers to contact the hold-up squad at 416-808-7350.
Two hammers were left behind. They were brand-new Garant Grizzley six-pounders. They were orange in colour with black-and-orange handles, he said.
Individuals who may have knowledge that might be helpful to investigators can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.
