Would-be thieves left empty-handed after a botched robbery attempt at a downtown Barrie jewelry store yesterday afternoon.
Barrie police responded to a reported robbery at Bill Le Boeuf Jewellers on Dunlop Street West just before 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 9.
“Within minutes, police were on scene and learned that entry to the store was not made,” Barrie police communications co-ordinator Peter Leon said.
The downtown business has precautions in place to allow for controlled access to the store, he added.
“Available safety-related countermeasures were utilized to prevent the robbery from taking place," said Leon.
Detectives from the Barrie Police Criminal Investigation Division also responded to the business and have learned that four to five suspects — dressed in dark clothing — were seen exiting two vehicles in the area before “aggressively” approaching the store.
“After their attempt to gain entry was foiled, the suspects fled on foot back to the cars they arrived in and quickly made their way westbound on Dunlop Street toward Highway 400,” Leon said.
The investigation remains ongoing and no injuries were reported.
This is the second time a Barrie jewelry store has been targeted in recent months. Dia Amour Jewellers in Georgian Mall was robbed on Aug. 26.
That robbery, according to police at the time, involved four males who smashed through display cases and made away with an unknown amount of jewelry. They exited the Bayfield Street mall and fled in a stolen white SUV. One employee of the store was injured, and the thieves also reportedly used a knife and a firearm in that robbery.
No arrests have been made in that case, Leon told BarrieToday.
“These stores, whether they’re in plazas or on busy city streets, are targeted locations by these individuals. We know that we are not the only community that has seen these taking place,” he added.
Anyone with information or who may have observed any suspicious activity in the area of Dunlop Street West and Maple Avenue on Oct. 9 between between 1:30 and 2:23 p.m. is asked to contact Barrie police at 705-725-7025 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or at crimestopperssdm.com.
