A family-owned jewelry store in White Rock was the target of a high-stakes, brazen burglary Monday morning.
Andy Nguyen’s family lives in Coquitlam and has been operating White Rock Jewellers in the Semiahmoo Shopping Centre for the past 10 years.
But on Monday morning, Nguyen says he had a “rude awakening” when his mom began pounding on his bedroom door around 5 a.m., telling him to get up because their store was being burgled.
The four thieves pictured in security camera footage made off with around $100,000 worth, Nguyen says, leaving his family with nothing to pick up but broken pieces of what once was.
“They didn’t leave anything behind, just shattered glass,” he said.
This isn’t the first time his family’s store has been targeted by thieves, he adds. But, it’s by far the worst.
Watching the footage of the theft, Nguyen says there’s no question the thieves knew exactly where to go when they entered the store.
“This wasn’t a random (attack),” he said. “They’ve probably been to the store before and cased it out.”
In the footage, the four suspects can be seen smashing display cases with crowbars and filling backpacks with product as an alarm goes off in the background.
Nguyen says he and his sister often work at the store on weekends when his parents need a day off. However, that Sunday they both forgot to take home the cash register at the end of the night, leaving about $500 in the till to add to the robbers’ haul.
He says he thinks they were only in the store for two or three minutes, meaning by the time police showed up, they had vanished.
The worst of the damage is the sliding door the thieves cut through, Nguyen says, adding his family doesn’t have insurance on their store.
Store owners ask ‘What’s the point?’
While the physical loss is taking its toll on his family, he says it’s the emotional toll that’s been especially difficult to deal with.
For his mom, Nguyen says work used to be a place she felt happy and proud. Now, he says it’s hard to see her so afraid.
“The day that that happened, when we were finished cleaning up and the day was over, my mom and my dad were saying how they’re scared now,” he said.
“My mom loves work, she loves talking to people and helping people.”
While police continue their investigation, Nguyen says his family is focused first on repairing their smashed up showcases.
However, he says it’s getting to a point where his parents have begun asking, “What’s the point?”
“At this point we’re just tired,” he said, citing the multiple break-ins prior to this one.
Looking ahead, Nguyen says his parents are keen to do some renovations and find a storefront that’s further into the mall and away from the entrance — something they believe makes them an easier target for thieves.
But while they await the perfect spot, he says his family is trying to focus on the fact that everyone is safe and nobody was injured.
“As terrible as it is, we’re trying to find the good in it.”
Surrey RCMP investigating after suspects fled
In a statement to CityNews, Mounties in Surrey are investigating the break and enter.
Mounties say that with the help from the Lower Mainland Police Dog Services, the area around the jewelry store was searched, but “the suspects had already fled the scene.”
“Police believe the four suspects departed in a dark coloured SUV,” Corp. James Mason shared.
“The brazen action of these individuals is a concerning reminder of the impact criminals can have on our community.”
Police are asking anyone with information about the incident, including those with CCTV or dash camera footage, to call the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 and quote file 2024-41717.