The police have charged one man, while pursuing three others after several jewelry stores were targeted in Mississauga and Brampton, in what the police called “smash and grab.”

Peel Regional Police said the latest robbery happened on January 17 at a store inside the Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga.

In the Square One robbery, four masked men armed with hammers broke into a jewelry store shortly before 4 p.m. Police said in a press release on Monday that the gang started smashing display cases and grabbing jewelry pieces, and quickly fled the store with an undisclosed amount of jewelry. Police said it was fortunate that none of the store employees were physically injured.

Robbery investigators are also pursuing those responsible for a robbery that occurred in December in Brampton in a similar manner, which took place around 8:10 p.m. and was caught on video. Three masked men were seen directing employees and others outside the store before smashing display cases with hammers and grabbing items.

The police said there were no physical injuries to employees or others in that incident either. According to Peel Police, a man was arrested last Thursday in connection with the robberies. Yoshia Maduri, 21, from Toronto, was charged with two counts of robbery, wearing disguise and breach of undertaking, possession of stolen property, and was held awaiting a bail hearing at Brampton court.

Police said the investigation is ongoing as they search for three additional suspects. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Central Robbery Unit at 905-453-2121 ext. 3410, or Peel Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

Meanwhile, police are investigating other locations in a number of similar smash-and-grab robberies of jewelry stores in their areas.

One of the robberies targeted the Birks jewelry store at the Mapleview Shopping Centre in Burlington on January 21. Police have not said whether there is any connection between the incidents in Peel and other areas.