Charlottetown Police lay charges in $20K diamond heist

Charlottetown Police have charged two people in connection with a theft of $20,000 worth of diamonds from a city jewelry store.

A Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued for Grigori Zaharov, 70, and Natalia Feldman, 44, after surveillance video showed a man and a woman allegedly stealing jewels in Charlottetown and Saint John, N.B.

• $20K diamond heist in Charlottetown may be linked to other thefts in region, say police

• Suspects arrested in $10K diamond theft in Saint John

Grigori Zaharov, 70, and Natalia Feldman, 44, were arrested Wednesday at their residence in Vaughan, Ont., by York Regional Police in Ontario.

Charlottetown Police said the two entered a city jewelry store Oct. 12 and asked to look at loose diamonds. They were able to swap two pieces of worthless cubic zirconia for two valuable diamonds, according to police.

"We have charged the two individuals that were depicted in the surveillance video from a local jewelry store with theft over $5,000," said Charlottetown Deputy Police Chief Gary McGuigan.

The suspects are currently in custody in Ontario, McGuigan said.

Saint John Police said the suspects are expected to be in the New Brunswick city on Saturday, when they will also face charges of theft over $5,000.

"The Charlottetown Police Department is then waiting its turn to hold these two accountable," McGuigan said.

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