By Chelsea Murray, National Post
Forest Hill gets hit by a break-in most every day, a Bronfman family private investigator says.
Former homicide investigator Mark Mendelson is working with the Bronfmans to recover 1-million worth of jewellery stolen from their home six months ago. He has also been in touch with other theft victims in the area in the hopes of finding similarities in their stories.
“This was not your average break and enter,” Mr. Mendelson said of the Bronfman case. “This is very different. This is a group of people that came in and located a safe weighing hundreds of pounds, so they came prepared obviously.”
Toronto police Const. Roy Rawluk, crime analyst for 53 Division, said until March the neighbourhood saw a “rash” of high-end break and enters — with thieves stealing everything from jewellery to a Jaguar — but the trend subsided in April.
“The neighbourhood’s average income is well over 200,000,” he said, “so there’s a problem with break and enters because of the affluence.... It’s an ongoing issue.”
Mr. Mendelson explained expert thieves watch the goings-on outside targeted Forest Hill homes and learn families’ daily routines. They know when home owners are most likely to be out of the house or forget to turn on the alarm — and when they’re least likely to get caught,
“The people that commit these crimes generally do their homework,” he said. “And they know when people are leaving and roughly how long they’re going to be. They learn a pattern very quickly.”
In a fresh attempt to find their long-lost jewellry, the Bronfmans have posted more photos of stolen pieces on a Web site — www.bronfmanjewellery.com — dedicated to finding it.
“There’s a large underground group of people who are more than willing to help move these things,” explained Mr. Mendelson. “Our hope is that it’s still all in Toronto and that it’s all still intact.” said Mr. Mendelson. “That’s what we’re hoping for, that these things were too hot."
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