From Iceland — Downtown Jewelry Store Robbed Of 2.5 Million ISK

Downtown Jewelry Store Robbed Of 2.5 Million ISK

Published April 27, 2020

Sam O'Donnell
Photo by
ja.is

A robbery was reported over the weekend at downtown jewelry store Gull og Silfur in Reykjavík. Two of the suspects were arrested and detained for investigation.

What makes the robbery so interesting is the fact that the intrepid bandits broke through seven layers of glass to swipe the goods. “They had some powerful tool to break our windows,” Owner Sigurður Steinþórsson told Vísir, adding that whatever they used was so powerful that it caused one of the outdoor light fixtures to fall down. The men made a hole in the window and took valuable jewelry that was on display, totaling roughly 2.5 million ISK.

The glass in the window is expensive, and although Sigurður will likely receive payment from insurance for the window, it takes a while to get the replacement. “It is a special pane that takes one and a half months to get. It’s not good to have this look for so long,” he said.

Unfortunately, although the suspects of the robbery were arrested, Sigurður is not optimistic that he will see the jewelry again. “That’s how they play. When police come, they toss the goods,” he said. “This is just miserable all around.”

Police say that violent crime has increased in recent months. “We’ve now got 28 robberies this year, but usually we have around 25 every six months,” Karl Steinar Valsson, chief of police in the Capital told Vísir. “There are a number of things that tell us there’s some turmoil under the surface that we are taking very seriously.” In addition to burglary and armed robbery, reports of assault and domestic violence have also increased. Strange times make stranger behavior. Stay safe out there, folks.

As ever, those looking for more information or advice should go to the Icelandic Government’s excellent COVID-19 help page.

Tune into our daily COVID-Cast for a deeper dive into the day’s developments.

Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club.

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