Three jewelry store workers wielded swords to fight off four would-be thieves during an attempted robbery in Mississauga, Ont., police said.

Const. Danny Marttini said the incident took place around 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday at Ashok Jewellers when four masked suspects got out of a truck and one person began smashing the store's windows.

Surveillance video released by police in an effort to identify the suspects shows one man jumping inside the store before three employees rush him with swords drawn.

Another suspect pulls the man back outside the store through the broken window as the employees flail away with swords — one of the employees fell while swinging his sword.

"This could have gone wrong in so many ways," Marttini said.

One of the suspects then pointed a gun inside the store. The suspects then fled, got in their truck and sped away through a red light, narrowly missing a collision with two transport trucks.

"I don't know how they didn't kill themselves or anyone else for that matter," Marttini said of the suspects, who left empty handed.

Police believe three of the suspects are men and aren't sure about the fourth. The getaway car is a dark-coloured Dodge Durango, she said.

Despite the successful efforts by the employees, Marttini said it's best to leave the crime-fighting to police.

"We don't condone violence to fight violence," she said. "It's better to save yourself than your property. Your life is more important than jewelry."

In late July, three masked men rammed a van into another jewelry store in Mississauga and made off with $100,000 worth of items.

The store's owner, Baldev Manjania, said he thought his wife was going to be shot during the robbery so he grabbed a sword and ran after the suspects as they took off.

In that case, the suspects jumped into their getaway car and drove away.

"I went to get my sword because I had to do something to save my family," Manjania said at the time.

Marttini said they have no information that suggests the two incidents are connected.

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On the web: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlMc_g81MJ8

News from © The Canadian Press, 2018