A stolen van scored a direct hit on the Jewellery Direct front entrance, then scored a major haul in stolen bling early Wednesday morning.
It is estimated $50,000 in gold chains and other jewelry left the premises with the driver of the stolen van after the smash-and-grab at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday.
"The investigation has determined absolutely that a stolen silver-coloured Toyota Sienna van was used in the crime," said Prince George RCMP spokesman Cpl. Craig Douglass.
"It was taken earlier in the night from the 1400 block of Edmonton Street near the hospital."
The stolen van's license number is 169 PHB and the suspect is described as a thin male wearing a black hoodie and dark jeans.
"The van has not yet been recovered, so we are asking the public to provide us with any information on its whereabouts, or any information about this crime," he said.
The van was driven up over the four-inch curb in front of the store and crashed through the main entrance to the store in Spruceland Mall, in between the Save-On-Foods location and Spruceland Barber Shop.
"We do not have any certain suspects for this," said Douglass, but added there was reason to believe this was not the only crime committed by the same person.
"Over the last weekend there was a significant increase [in crimes like this] and we do believe that one or two culprits are responsible for most of these incidents."
The 633 address was still attached to the door, but both were shoved through the after-hours security gate and splayed on the floor in a pool of shattered glass and bits of debris.
Passersby later Wednesday morning joked with staff that they must be having a door-crasher sale.
Starbucks staff jovially brought jewelry store staff free coffee to help cheer them up as they swept up the bits and pieces.
Although thick cement planters separate the facades of many Spruceland businesses from the parking lot, none currently exist in front of the jewelry store.
Such a barrier once existed, said staff, but during recent renovations, it had been removed and not replaced.
Now there's a gap of about 18 feet, pole to pole, with nothing but a mailbox on one side to obstruct the illicit driver's pathway in and out of the building.
There was video surveillance for Jewellery Direct and police are looking through the footage for more clues.
Anyone with further information is asked to call Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS / www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca.
