A brazen daylight robbery at a Barrie jewelry store last summer culminated in a sentence for one of the participants, a Toronto teen. The incident, however, represents just one chapter in a continuing legal saga for the young man.
On August 18th, 2025, four masked individuals stormed Dia Amore Jewellers within the Georgian Mall. Witnesses described a chaotic scene as the group wielded hammers, shattering glass display cases with ruthless efficiency.
The thieves swiftly grabbed handfuls of jewelry, disappearing as quickly as they arrived in a stolen vehicle. The aftermath revealed a chilling detail: a handgun and ammunition lay discarded on the store floor alongside a small sledgehammer.
This wasn’t an isolated incident for the store owner, who had already endured a similar robbery just a year prior, in August 2024. The repeated attacks left a lasting mark, instilling a deep sense of vulnerability.
Police swiftly launched a pursuit, chasing the getaway car along Hwy. 400. The chase ended dramatically when the vehicle crashed within a construction zone in Innisfil, leading to the arrest of all five suspects.
The teen recently received a sentence of time served, marking the first conviction in the case. Despite this, his freedom remains elusive, as he faces separate weapons charges in Toronto.
Before sentencing, the court heard a powerful statement from the jewelry store owner, detailing the profound impact of the robbery. “What was taken from us was more than merchandise,” the owner wrote, “Our sense of safety, peace, and security has been shattered.”
The emotional toll, the owner explained, would far outweigh any financial loss. The teen will now serve a two-year probation period, including a curfew, and is forbidden from returning to the Georgian Mall.
Two other youths involved were released on bail, while two additional suspects, Ahmed Al-Saeed, 22, and Jahzyi Smith, 19, remain in custody. One of the youths was found with a fully loaded semi-automatic firearm upon arrest.
Of the five accused, only Al-Saeed hails from Barrie, with the remaining individuals originating from Toronto and Mississauga. All initially faced charges including robbery with violence, disguise with intent, and dangerous operation of a vehicle.
The remaining four suspects are scheduled to return to court in March, their fates still uncertain. The identities of the youth offenders are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
