Gold Coast jewellery store ransacked

4.9 k views | Posted April 03, 2012 |

A Gold Coast jewellery store has been raided in a brazen smash and grab theft with up to $500,000 in stock stolen.

Jeweller last reported on a store robbery when a methodical gang of thieves executed a meticulous and hi-tech theft from a jewellery retailer in Western Australia. While by comparison the looting at Bundall’s CTJ Jewellery seemed reckless and brutal, it proved just as effective.

CCTV footage shows three men smashing down CTJ Jewellery’s glass doors with a sledgehammer at 7:20pm on March 22. The thieves then shattered glass display cabinets with crowbars and snatched handfuls of stock, ultimately filling two sports bags with jewellery.

Watch CCTV footage.

A Crime Stoppers alert has been issued and authorities are confident of arresting the thieves. The men wore hoods but their faces were largely exposed, and Police have released CCTV images (in image gallery) to the public.

Jeweller spoke with CTJ Jewellery storeowner Greg Ward about the robbery, who said there had been some positive developments in finding the thieves and hopefully recovering the stock.

“We just got word that a house in Helensvale was partially burnt down, and they found clothing and boxes from our store, and some of our store display,” Ward said. “The police know the people who were in the house, so hopefully something will come out of that.”

How they did it
Ward’s initial estimate of the stolen stock was up to $500,000, and a week on he still seemed shocked by the violent break in.

“I locked up everything, I just left the magnetic lock on the safe door, the front bolt was in the door, and all the alarms were on, I was coming back to the shop,” he said. “Our magnetic door takes a lot of pounding, but it didn’t hold after they beat at it.”

Ward says the thieves didn’t seem to be selective in what they stole and will struggle to sell or melt down the items.

“It’s going to be a bit of work for them to do anything with what they stole,” he said. “They stole some of the trays from our main room, which had 200 to 270 ring shanks on a plate, plus pearls and gold hoops. They didn’t know what they were stealing. The money is in the shanks. To melt down what they’ve got is hard though, the diamonds will be melted into the gold. It’s a bit of work, they’d have to have qualifications to separate them.”

Recovery hasn’t been easy
Ward says getting the store back in shape has been difficult.

“One week later and we’re still trying to get the cabinets fixed up, and we need a new front door,” he said. It’s a situation where everyone is getting desperate”

There has been some good to come out of the robbery though, Ward says he has been touched by the sympathy and concern the Gold Coast community has shown.

“I’ve had some good responses from customers and one guy in the industry offered to lend a hand where needed, that was nice. We’ve had fantastic customers, we’ve had them come to the door and make sure our staff are all right. Our clientele care for us, and they’re making sure we’re okay, that’s been the best thing to come out of this.”

Advice for others
Ward said getting an effective security company is vital to help prevent what he had gone through and urged other jewellers to look into their own security arrangements. He has been researching new robbery prevention methods and other security companies with newer technology and round-the-clock monitoring.

“I suppose you’ve got to be even more vigilant,” he said. “I’m one of those people that always looks around, but how do you prevent a blatant robbery in a major street at 7:30? How did this happen? Jewellery retailers need security that has a 24-hour video monitoring control centre. I’ve seen smoke cannons with multiple alarms as well, I’m thinking of doing that, it’s a good preventative.”

Anyone able to recognise the men (pictured) should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.