It was a smash and grab robbery that took a high-end Toronto jewelry store completely by surprise.
Three masked men, armed and dressed in blue jeans, poured into Boutique Cartier near Toronto's Bay and Bloor Streets on Wednesday afternoon.
The suspects ordered the employees to get on the ground, smashed open display cases and threw their stolen goods into a duffle bag so they could make their getaway on foot.
No one was injured during the robbery.
Toronto police Insp. Scott Baptist told the Toronto Star that it appeared the thieves were not that familiar with the value of the trinkets they pocketed.
"They're obviously not too adept at what they're doing because they've stolen the lower-end things in the store," he said.
Police later found a discarded rifle that they believe was involved in the incident.
The first suspect, who carried a rifle, was white and wore a black neoprene mask to disguise his face. He had black gloves on, was wearing running shoes and had a black winter jacket with a hood.
The second brought the hammer used to smash the glass and carried a green and brown bag in which to stash the cash. He wore a striped toque that covered his face, along with a long-sleeved grey shirt, black and white gloves, as well as a brown belt and white shoes.
The final suspect wore a coat with a dark hood and a black cloth covered his face. He had dark gloves on and was armed with a black handgun.
Police ask anyone with information about the crime to contact investigators at 416-808-7350, or to call Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477.
