A hobby shop in the east end of St. John’s was broken into overnight and the owner is so terrified that he may change the business model. Two masked men entered East Coast Coins, which is on top of a commercial building on the corner of Torbay Street and Pearson Street, shortly before 4:00am. They sprayed the security cameras and then smashed their way into the building. But East Coast Coins owner Rod O’Driscoll says they were unable to get into his shop, which is secured by a steel door. The business has a wide range of commodities and buys gold. O’Driscoll believes this is what they were looking for as it can melt. He says some other hobby shops in town have been robbed in recent nights, so he suspects a connection. The would-be thieves left empty-handed, but O’Driscoll says that only means they’re likely to return. It will change the way of doing business. He will go by appointment only, an approach some of his peers have taken. He’s not willing to risk lives so people can go to the site or call.
