Police have released dramatic video of a "takeover-style" robbery committed at a Gucci store in downtown Vancouver late last year.
The surveillance video shows two masked men storming into the high-end retail store at Thurlow and Alberni streets on the evening of Dec. 9, and spraying an employee in the face with bear spray.
As workers escape through an emergency exit, the suspects can be seen quickly moving into another part of the store and ransacking roughly $20,000 worth of merchandise before fleeing the scene.
Another surveillance camera captured the men removing their masks outside of the store, briefly revealing their faces. Police spokesperson Const. Tania Visintin urged anyone who recognizes either of the suspects to come forward immediately.
"The public has been instrumental in helping us solve a number of disturbing attacks in recent months, and we’re once again asking for help to identify and apprehend some violent criminals,” Visintin said in a news release Wednesday.
"We need anyone who recognizes these men to call us right away and tell us what they know."
The Vancouver Police Department said the video was obtained early in the investigation, but could not be released until months later "for investigative reasons."
“There were certain details that if released, just for this case alone, would compromise the investigation and might tarnish it,” said Visintin. “We’re now at a really good point where we can release footage of these men.”
The employee who was pepper-sprayed directly is a 33-year-old security guard who was left temporarily incapacitated by the attack. He was among four workers who hid in a stairwell until they could be seen by paramedics.
VPD have yet to identify any of the stolen items and believe they are on the black market.
“We have a whole specific section of our department that investigates that type of crime, so it’s something that we do see all over the map,” said Visintin, adding that the items could be sold on the streets or on websites such as Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
“We do want people to be wary of what they’re purchasing.”
Authorities asked anyone with information that could help the investigation to call 604-717-2541.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Kevin Charach
