A Mission father and son were loading their wares into a truck to take to the Abbotsford flea market early on Feb. 24 when two masked men appeared out of the darkness - one brandishing a firearm - and made off with close to $70,000 in diamond jewelry.

The robbery took place at about 6 a.m. in the rural 10900 block of Stave Lake Road as the victims were in their driveway. The two robbers wore ski masks.

The thieves took off in one of the victims' 2001 grey Toyota Tacoma pickup, which was recovered later a short distance away.

Mission RCMP are appealing to the public for any information on the heist.

"We're hoping someone saw something or knows something," said Const. Amanda Harnett.

The father, 75, and the son, 40, are regulars at the Abbotsford flea market, said Harnett.

"We don't know if they were followed home, or if someone knew them from the flea market," said Harnett.

The list of stolen items includes: one women's silver bracelet; 12 women's gold rings in nine-to 14-carat gold with diamonds of various weights; two men's white gold and diamond rings; a pair of half-carat diamond earrings and a single 1.82 carat diamond.

Most of the items were assessed at between $5,000 and $10,000, said Harnett.

Police are not releasing the victims' names at this time.

"They're pretty petrified. They're just regular people," said Harnett.

? Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to call the RCMP at 604-826-7161, or to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 to leave an anonymous tip.

CToth@abbotsfordtimes.com