Police search for 2 men who robbed jewelry store using burka disguises

TORONTO – Two men disguised themselves as women in burkas while robbing a jewelry store in Toronto in the first such case in the city, police alleged Wednesday as they released security video of the incident.

A large amount of jewelry, worth about a half-million dollars, was stolen from Mona Clara Jewellers (in the York Mills Road and Leslie Street area) during the Oct. 14 daylight robbery, said Staff Insp. Mike Earl.

Police allege the robbery began with the suspects taking control of the two people inside the store.

They said one of the suspects, who was armed with a black handgun, forced one of the employees to open the display case and both suspects then removed a quantity of jewels and put them in bags.

The video shows one of the suspects clearing out the cabinets.

Police say the men were inside the store for about five minutes and then fled using the back door.

“It is our belief that with this amount of jewelry that somebody may have purchased a large quantity of jewelry shortly after the robbery that may point us to the right direction,” Earl said as he appealed for the public’s help in solving the crime.

One suspect is described as black, 5-foot-11 and the other as 6-foot-3.

“This is the first jewelry store robbery that I have seen (in Toronto) where they dressed up in burkas,” Earl said.

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