Winnipeg police are asking for help identifying two armed robbers who made off with about $300,000 in gold jewelry from a store in the Rivers Heights area.
A man armed with a handgun and another with a hammer walked into the Gatewest Coin on Corydon Ave. at around noon on April 30, smashed a display case and stole about 190 gold rings, the store’s ownership says.
On Friday, Winnipeg police released photos of two suspects, saying the major crimes unit continues to investigate the robbery and asking anyone with information about the men’s identities to come forward to police.
Jasmine Allen, vice-president of Gatewest Coin, said Saturday the incident has caused “a lot of anxiety.”
“We have some staff members that have decided they don’t want to work in the front anymore,” she said. “Makes it a lot more difficult to do your job … [if] you’re very concerned who’s coming in.”
Jasmine Allen, vice-president of Gatewest Coin, says the robbery has affected the store’s charity work. (Kevin Nepitabo/CBC)
Security footage shows two men wearing face coverings entering the store. One of them rushes toward the display cases, smashing one and putting about a dozen trays of jewelry in a bag.
At the same time, a man holding what appears to be a handgun stands by the store’s entrance. When a person walks into the store mid-robbery, the armed man gestures him to move to the side.
The person kneels and raises his hand. Other people who were in the store can also be seen in the surveillance footage with their hands up or ducking behind walls.
Allen says three staff were at the store at the time, including her pregnant sister, who pushed a panic button activating a security fog system.
White fog can be seen coming out from behind the glass display as the suspects exit the store. The robbery took about a minute.
“It was over just like that,” Allen said, adding that the store has since installed a bulletproof glass they had ordered before the robbery, switched security companies and also put up additional cameras.
“We’re adding anything extra that we can possibly think of to just improve conditions for our staff, put people more at ease,” she said.
“You’re never going to be able to fully deter something like this happening, but all you can do is adjust and try to move forward.”
Winnipeg police released images of the two suspects. Anyone with information is asked to contact the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers. (Winnipeg police)
Winnipeg police said Friday one of the suspects is described as wearing a black freezer-style jacket with a “West Trans” logo, a black neck warmer, a blue Adidas hat, white shoes and black pants.
The other had a black North Face jacket, black neck warmer, large leather gloves, white shoes and blue jeans.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219 or submit an anonymous tip at Crime Stoppers online or at 204-788-TIPS.
Charity work impacted
Allen said the goods in the store where insured, but that the incident did have an impact on Gatewest Coin’s charity work.
The business funds the Laing Family Foundation, which funds several initiatives related to animal welfare, education as well as supports for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
“We’re very involved in the community, but with something like this happening, we’ve had to put all of that on hold,” Allen said.
“We’re not going anywhere, but it significantly does impact what we’re able to do for charity.”