The management of popular southern suburb shopping centre Blue Route Mall has confirmed that one of its stores was robbed. According to reports, the jewellery store opposite the mall’s Dischem was struck.
Centre management insists that “everything is under control”, and that the mall is now operating as usual.
Police had not yet replied to comment at the time of publication.
A week ago – on August 12 – armed criminals hit Kenilowrth Centre in a bold robbery. The unidentified suspects made off with jewellery, cellphones and an undisclosed amount of cash.
As reported by News24, four individuals entered a Foschini store, armed with guns and hammers. Using the hammers to break into the display, they accessed cellphones.
“Five armed suspects broke display cabinets in a clothing store and got away with an undisclosed number of cellphones. No shots were fired and no one has been injured,” Michelle Britton, who forms part of the centre’s management, said.
“At around 11:10, armed suspects held the staff of a clothing store in a Kenilworth mall at gunpoint and fled with jewellery, cellular telephones and cash,” South African Police Services (SAPS) spokesperson André Traut said in a statement. “They fled with a silver Chevrolet SUV with false number plates and are yet to be arrested.”
Van Deijl jewellers at Tyger Valley Centre was also hit by armed robbers on the evening of August 7. Centre Management confirmed the incident took place, and has reassured its visitors that the safety of shoppers remains top priority.
According to reports, the robbery took place at 6.40pm, with the robbers firing shots in their escape attempts. The criminals are said to have made off with “an undisclosed amount of stock”. No known injuries were reported.
There has been a marked increase in jewellery store robberies across Cape Town this year, with three such cases being reported in July alone.
Last month, a jewellery store at the upmarket Cape Quater Lifestyle Village in Green Point was struck by robbers, who came armed with guns. The four suspects fled in a white Ford Fiesta, and escaped with an undisclosed amount of jewellery.
Just a few weeks prior, the Mount Nelson Hotel’s jewellery store was targeted by 15 armed men, who arrived in two vehicles. They made their way into the building by threatening and intimidating a security guard, as they were armed with both firearms and sledgehammers.
The robbers smashed the glass of the jewelry store, and removed approximately R50 000 worth of jewellery. They also made off with R6 000 in cash from the front desk, as well as the cellphones of guests.
In the beginning of July, four armed men stormed and robbed The Diamond Works, which is located opposite the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Wearing masks and workmen’s overalls, they forcefully entered the shop in the Metropolitan building before making off with an undisclosed amount of valuable jewellery.
