A teen is facing several charges after three separate jewelry stores at two London shopping malls were robbed over two days.
London police say the first incident happened last Thursday around 8 p.m. at a jewelry store in Masonville Place.
According to investigators, the suspect entered the store and asked to see a piece of jewelry, then fled with the item without paying.
Then on Friday around 5:30 p.m. a different jewelry store at Masonville was targeted by the same suspect, police say.
An employee there reportedly recognized the suspect from the previous day's theft, contacted police and asked the suspect for identification. At that point the young person threatened the employee and fled with the jewelry.
Later the same day, around 6:15 p.m., the same suspect allegedly went into a jewelry store at White Oaks Mall.
In that case, after asking the view a piece of jewelry, while the employee was securing the item back in the display case, the suspect threatened the employee with a knife before fleeing with the item.
Following a police investigation, a 14-year-old has been arrested and charged with armed robbery, robbery with violence or threats and theft under $5,000.
London police Det.-Sgt. Ryan Scrivens said in a statement, “It’s disheartening when our investigations reveal young people committing brazen criminal acts. Hopefully this experience is one that results in a new direction for this youth, moving forward.”
The suspect cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, but is scheduled to appear in London court on Jan. 28.
