Jewelry thieves chased off with sword

“He showed a gun to my wife and then I took a sword from inside and then they run outside.” BALDEV MANJANIA JEWELRY STORE OWNER

Peel police investigating after minivan rammed into Malton storefront

Peel police are investigating a daylight robbery at a jewelry store in Malton Saturday afternoon in which security camera footage captured masked suspects ramming a minivan through the store’s front entrance and stealing several cases of jewelry before they were chased by the store owner wielding a sword.

Surveillance videos that appear to have been filmed off a cellphone screen were posted to Facebook Sunday.

One video, taken outside Rana Jewellers, near Airport and Derry Rds., shows a red minivan reversing into the store’s front window, pulling forward and again slamming into the storefront.

A second video taken inside the shop shows a pair of customers reacting in shock the moment the store’s display counter is violently shaken by the impact.

Afew seconds later, the rear of minivan can be seen breaking through the front entrance. Three masked men wearing hoodies and gloves then enter the store and begin stealing items from the busted display.

They leave shortly before store owner Baldev Manjania emerges from the back and follows them out the smashed storefront holding a large sword.

The video taken outside the store ends as the robbers appear to get into a waiting getaway car.

Manjania told the Star that he was trying to protect his wife, because he thought they were going to hurt her.

“They were trying to steal my jewelry,” Manjania said, “and he showed a gun to my wife and then I took a sword from inside and then they run outside.”

Manjania said that he had the sword because of his religion. “We have a Sikh temple here, and every Sikh temple, they have a sword,” he said. “I just keep (it) for safety, you know, if something happens.”

There is still no window in the storefront. In an interview with CP24, Manjania said they hope to reopen the store this weekend.

“I feel OK,” he said, “but not very well, you know. I’m still scared because they came with the guns and all. I’m still scared.”

Constable Danny Marttini of Peel police confirmed the events of the video and said that no one in the store at the time of the robbery was injured.

“Investigators (are) still going through all the video from the event,” Marttini said, “but the investigation is ongoing and has been since Sunday.”

No suspect information has been released at this time.