'I still have night sweats': Five teens arrested over violent jewellery store heist which left staff terrified
Five teenagers have been charged over a violent robbery where a jewellery store staff member was allegedly hit in the head with a gun.
It is alleged the group, of African descent and aged 16 and 17, smashed glass cabinets and stole a large sum of jewellery from the Toorak store on January 14.
A male staff member was allegedly struck in the head with the butt of a gun, before the offenders fled the daylight robbery in a getaway car.
Five teenagers have been arrested and charged over a jeweller robbery. Source: 7 News
Police found the car abandoned in Collingwood soon after.
After raids in Shepparton and Melbourne last week, the five teens were arrested and charged.
Some of the thieves seen fleeing the store. Source: 7 News
“The jewellery was not located at this point in time,” assistant commissioner Bob Hill said. "(But) we did seize evidence that connected these people to this particular crime.”
The arrests come as the traumatised staff try to return to work as normal.
“I still have night sweats, and dreams and I can’t sleep,” staff member Elaine Frankie-French said.
“In a week I’ve slept about five hours.”
Staff member Elaine Frankie-French had a gun held to her head in an earlier robbery. Source: 7 News
The violent robbery happened the day after Ms Frankie-French returned to work from stress leave, as she had a gun held to her head during a violent robbery at the same store three months earlier.
The shop has now upgraded security, with the doors locked as customers must press a bell before being granted entry.
The smashed shelves. Source: 7 News
The store is not the only jeweller in Melbourne to be targeted, with police setting up a taskforce to investigate the 17 hold ups on jewellery shops since July last year.
The five teens have been remanded in custody to appear in a children’s court at a later date.
Two of those teens, who are known to police, have also been charged with other armed robberies.
Five teens remain in custody, charged over the robbery. Source: 7 News
