Eight people have been charged with robbery and disguise with intent to commit an indictable offence after a string of jewelry store robberies in Surrey and Burnaby between May 22 and June 5.
One of the eight, Jeffrey Greenwood, 27, of Surrey, is still at large and police are asking for the public's assistance in locating him.
Greenwood is described as a Caucasian male, 6-0 tall, 166 lbs, with blue eyes and a distinctive tattoo of a dog on his neck.
Charged and in custody are Jordan Boucher, 26, of no fixed address, and five men and one woman from Surrey.
Kevin Campbell, 26; Raymond Hawse, 39; Anthony Nguyen, 20; Sonny Nguyen, 19; and Bobby Prasad, 37, of Surrey are the men charged, while Phuong Thi Le, 21, of Surrey, is the woman charged.
This investigation unfolded after robberies targeting jewelry estimated at $50,000, at two North Surrey pawn shops on May 22 and 31.
During the robberies, the suspects forcibly took over the targeted retail outlets by brandishing machetes and hammers and, in one case, dousing a clerk in flammable lighter fluid.
"This was an organized goal-oriented group that had no regard for public safety and displayed reckless behavior putting innocent people's lives at risks," Surrey RCMP property crime section Insp. Wade Lymburner said in a press release. "Arresting these suspects was a top priority for us."
Investigators quickly identified a vehicle of interest, which led to identifying a person of interest.
This information enabled the Surrey RCMP's Strike Force target team to begin surveillance of an organized group of people the team thought was responsible for the robberies.
Surveillance of this group on June 5 led police to the robbery of Station Jewellers in the 6100 block of McKay Avenue in the Metrotown area.
Police were able to arrest five people in this group as they tried to escape in two cars through New Westminster and Surrey.
During the arrest, police recovered approximately $30,000 in property from Station Jewellers and investigators to gather enough evidence to charge three additional individuals.
Evidence was also gathered to advance the Surrey pawn shop robberies, resulting in one person being charged for their involvement in those robberies.
"I hope businesses and citizens in both Surrey and Burnaby will be relieved to know how the RCMP in both cities worked together quickly and aggressively to apprehend this ruthless group of robbers," Burnaby RCMP Insp. Tim Shields said in a press release.
Items stolen from the Surrey pawn shops have not been recovered and are believed to be worth more than $50,000. Of that jewelry is a distinctive Harley Davidson gold belt buckle worth approximately $3,000.
Anyone with more information on the outstanding suspect or property is asked to contact Const. Khan of the Surrey RCMP robbery section at 604-507-5940.
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