A jeweler in the west of Montreal is delighted with the indictment of the professional thief who allegedly stole more than $1.2 million worth of merchandise, or his life’s savings, last November, a few days before Christmas .
The owners of Bijouterie Futuriste, Rami Safadi and his brother Adnan, felt some relief when they learned of the arrest of a suspect, 50-year-old Daniel Simard, for the burglary of their shop. “We are especially happy that he cannot do this to someone else, destroy other families … But it is certain that we, in our hearts, have not recovered anything”, has entrusted to the QMI Agency Mr. Safadi.
With his brother, they had to start all over again after the burglary this winter.
“Mentally, we took a big hit,” he admitted, still upset by the events.
It’s that the owners never really recovered from the robbery of their jewelry store.
Significant losses
In addition to having lost $1.2 million in stolen jewellery, the Safadis had to repay suppliers, increasing their debt to three million. The search of the suspect’s home nevertheless allowed the owners to recover some jewelry, worth approximately $2,000.
After the theft, some people tried to take advantage of the situation to defraud the owners, for example by claiming a larger amount than the real value of the jewels that had been stolen, Safadi said. Despite everything, the owners wanted to highlight the generosity of other customers who, at the beginning, bought several gift vouchers from the jewelry store to help them get going again.
A “professional” caliber burglary
On the night of November 30, 2021, Daniel Simard and his accomplice who still has not been arrested entered the jewelry store by making a hole in the wall, around 2 a.m. They then deactivated the alarm systems and surveillance cameras, before robbing the premises and leaving 2 hours later.
After appearing last Thursday, the suspect, now detained, faces fifteen counts.
The individual has already been charged with similar crimes in other areas of the province, such as LaSalle and Trois-Rivières.
-With Erika Aubin, Le Journal de Montreal