Another ram raid hits city
A CLEANER was threatened with a firearm during an armed robbery at a Gold Coast jewellery store yesterday morning.
Two masked people allegedly used a stolen gold 2006 Toyota Rav4 station wagon to smash their way into The Pines Elanora about 4am.
The pair allegedly drove the car through the centre’s glass doors before smashing into Prouds Jewellers.
A 52-year-old male cleaner was working in the shopping centre at the time.
One of the masked offenders allegedly produced a firearm and told the cleaner to move away from the store.
It is alleged the pair stole a quantity of jewellery before fleeing in the Rav4.
They allegedly drove less than a kilometre to Ellioh Court, where the car was torched.
At about 4.15am the vehicle was found engulfed in flames. Police allege the vehicle had been stolen from an address at Abbott Court, Guanaba, at about 5.30pm on Thursday.
A family who lives on the quiet Ellioh Court was woken by the sound of the blaze.
“A car was burnt on the road over there,” a resident told the Bulletin.
“The cops and the fire brigade came down about 4am,” they said.
“(The car) was completely up in flames.
“It was loud. There was a big explosion. But the kids slept through it, amazingly.”
It’s the third ram raid of its kind in a fortnight, with the Prouds Jewellers at Runaway Bay shopping centre and another at Burleigh Stocklands robbed in a similar manner.
Police sources told the Bulletin they were investigating the links between the three robberies and believed all were connected.
Investigators are looking into whether the stolen jewellery has been used to sell or swap for drugs across the Coast.
If you have any information that can assist police, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.