The Incident: Edmonton police are searching for a man and woman involved in a coordinated jewelry theft at West Edmonton Mall on October 10, 2024. The suspects walked away with over $115,000 worth of gold chains after using distraction tactics to bypass store employees.

What happened:

• Around 6 p.m., the suspects entered the jewelry store, with the woman distracting an employee while the man slipped behind the counter to steal gold chains.
• The pair left the store together, making off with the stolen items.
• Police estimate the value of the stolen gold chains exceeds $115,000.

What they’re saying:

• “This was a very brazen theft where the two suspects acted together,” said EPS Const. Alex Sutton.
• Police released detailed descriptions of the suspects and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

Suspect descriptions:

• Male suspect: Approximately 5’8”, with short dark hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a black sweater, grey pants, and white shoes with black soles.
• Female suspect: Approximately 5’4”, with long straight dark hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, a black vest, black pants, black boots, and carried a Burberry purse. Both suspects spoke with Eastern European accents.

Backdrop:

• Brazen thefts like this are a growing concern in retail environments, particularly in high-value stores like jewelry retailers. Coordinated actions by suspects highlight vulnerabilities in existing security protocols.

What you can do to safeguard your business:

• Implement advanced surveillance systems: Use AI-driven cameras for facial recognition and tracking within store premises.

• Train staff for situational awareness: Equip employees with tactics to recognize and respond to distraction-based thefts.
• Enhance physical security: Secure display cases with locking mechanisms and limit access to high-value items.

Businesses can further protect themselves by partnering with experts like Guardka Security, offering tailored loss prevention strategies to safeguard valuable assets and deter sophisticated criminals.