Yellowknife jewelry store owner says he feels unsafe after 2 recent robberies

Yellowknife's Arctic Jewellers faces thousands of dollars in damage and losses after the owner says the business was robbed overnight.

It's the second time the store faced theft in two months, said owner Hau Huynh. 

"I'm feeling not safe in Yellowknife," he said. "Seriously I'm still shaking."

The most recent incident happened at 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Huynh's store is inside the Centre Square Mall in downtown Yellowknife. He said surveillance footage showed that two people approached the store and attempted to get inside by handling the door. Finding it locked they used an axe-like tool to bust through the glass door.

Huynh said the alarm went off before they even smashed through, but they continued. Once inside, the intruders jumped onto the counter and began smashing the glass encasements holding jewellery.

Huynh said they made away with jewellery and watches worth around $5,000 to $6,000 and were gone "within less than two minutes."

The cost to fix the damage could cost between $4,000 and $5,000, he said.

Huynh said he didn't find out about the break in until about 6 or 7 a.m.

Speaking about another incident, Huynh said that in August a "young boy" came into his store, took a heavy gold chain, and ran away with it.

Yellowknife RCMP confirmed both incidents and said they are investigating the recent break and enter.

Police say they are looking for video surveillance to help determine who is responsible.

In the August theft incident, a police investigation led to a 16-year-old being charged with theft in connection to it.

Huynh, who has lived in the city since 1998 and started his business in 1999, said he no longer feels safe in Yellowknife.

"Never happened before within 20 to 23 years running the business," he said. "Never happened before. That's the reason why I say it's getting worse in Yellowknife, makes me nervous."

Huynh says he has insurance, but he'll have to pay a large deductible and will face increased premiums when it comes time to renew. 

CBC has reached out to RCMP for comment.