Jewelry Store Robberies Surge Across Canada With Increasingly Violent Tactics

Recent smash-and-grab heists in Montreal and Toronto highlight a growing trend of jewelry store thefts involving vehicles and armed suspects.

A Montreal jewelry store owner was injured during a robbery where thieves crashed a car into the storefront and stole up to $700,000 in merchandise.
In Toronto's Rexdale area, a similar incident occurred when suspects drove a truck into a jewelry store, assaulting a co-owner who remains hospitalized with serious injuries.
Police report a sharp rise in smash-and-grab jewelry store thefts in 2024, with Toronto experiencing a 105% increase compared to the previous year.
Authorities in both cities are increasing patrols and collaborating with local businesses and security agencies to address the escalating trend.
Law enforcement advises store owners not to confront robbers directly, as suspects in these cases are often armed and dangerous.