Suspects sought in brazen jewelry store smash and grab robbery in St. Catharines: police

Niagara Regional police are seeking four “armed and dangerous” suspects connected with a robbery and attempted theft at two Pen Centre jewelry stores in St. Catharines, Ont.

Investigators allege the masked men split up as they entered the Glendale Avenue mall around 8:30 p.m., just before closing, and attacked Kavar Jewellers and Griffin Jewellery Designs simultaneously.

“Two suspects entered Griffin Jewellers, where they began to smash the glass showcases with a hammer,” a police spokesperson said in an email.

“The suspects stole assorted jewelry and ran from the store.”

Detectives say the alleged attack on Kavar Jewellers involved two men assaulting an employee and demanding cash before they were chased out, empty-handed, when a bystander became involved.

All four suspects fled the mall on the northeast side and got into a 2022 grey Honda CRV, which investigators say was stolen from Etobicoke on Sunday.

That car was discovered abandoned by police in Toronto early Tuesday.

There were no serious injuries in either incident.

Three of the suspects, caught on surveillance video and pictured in an Niagara police release, are believed to be aged around 18 to 28 years old and considered dangerous.

The two that entered Griffin Jewellery Design appeared to be wearing “Bape” hooded sweatshirts with hoods, say police.

Anyone with information can reach out to Niagara police or Crime Stoppers.