The owner of Gold Silver Guy in Qualicum Beach is dealing with another break-in at one of his businesses where thieves gained entry by smashing through the exterior concrete wall. (Jeff Ross/submitted)

By Jordan Davidson

smash and grab

Jeweler enraged following third break-in this year, leaving large hole in his store & wallet

Oct 25, 2023 | 4:46 PM

QUALICUM BEACH — It’s another major headache for a mid-Island business owner, who’s cleaning up after thieves broke through several walls to steal items from a Qualicum Beach jeweler.

Jeff Ross received a call on Wednesday, Oct 25 at 9 a.m. from a neighboring business, informing him of a large hole in the wall in the back of his store, Gold Silver Guy, located on 2nd Ave.

“They gained entry through the cement, through the two-by-four wall, through the Slatwall that’s on the inside interior, and then there’s a series of showcases pilled up against those. They gained entry into that one back room and then managed to break a scissor gate that separated from the next room, and then they gained entry into the safe.”

While Ross wasn’t able to determine exactly what was stolen from the apparent overnight heist when he spoke with NanaimoNewsNOW, he expects to be out at least $70,000.

The store alarm systems at the entrance and exits were bypassed, which is why Ross was unaware of the incident until receiving the morning phone call.

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Pieces of stolen jewelry from the store were located outside on the ground near the breached wall.

Ross said it’s “enough to put a guy out of business” since he can’t purchase insurance because of the frequent break-ins.

“It’s a 100 per cent loss, all that’s stolen, the repairs, the safe alone is $1,500 and that’s a drop in the bucket compared to what was stolen.”

He said this is the 22nd time one of his several Vancouver Island businesses has been broken into in 25 years of business and the third time this year that this kind of brazen robbery has happened.

In August, thieves smashed through a concrete wall at Ross’ Nanaimo Deals 4 You store on Metral Dr. in an attempt to get at the safe, with the suspects leaving empty-handed, but leaving Ross with another costly repair bill.

“How do you fix a cement wall? It’s not as easy as boarding it up. If they took the time to come through the cement, what are they going to do with a piece of wood?”

After breaking through multiple walls to gain access to the building, the store’s safe was also broken into with numerous items taken from inside. (Jeff Ross/submitted)

Oceanside RCMP Sgt. Shane Worth says they continue to investigate and currently have no suspects identified as they work to pinpoint the approximate time of the break-in.

He said despite the smash-and-grab nature, it was a pretty sophisticated operation.

“It’s not something we see very often, but it is a method of break and enter that some suspects have as their M.O., and they are good at it. It comes in waves where people, whether they’re traveling criminals or someone who hasn’t committed a crime in a long time go back to what they know and they use this technique.”

Anyone with information into this incident to give the Oceanside RCMP a call at (250) 248-6111.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow