DURBAN – A gang, armed with crow bars, smashed their way through the disply cabinets of a cellphone shop in Berea Centre on Wednesday night, making off with loot worth thousands of rands.
Andreos Mathos, Blue Security's media and community liaison officer, said the gang of four robbers assaulted a security guard outside the mall before forcing him to walk with them to the mall entrance. The incident occurred at around 9.40pm.
“The gang hit the security guard over the head with a crowbar and robbed him of his radio before walking to entrance 3 of the mall where they broke down the door to gain entry. They then smashed the glass door of a cellphone shop to gain entry and then smashed open display cabinets. The gang managed to get away with all of the store’s cellphone stock and fled in a blue Corolla Professional which was parked in Berea Road,” he said.
Mathios said the security guard’s manager attended the scene to assess his injuries.
“No paramedics were required as the security guard was reportedly not seriously injured during the assault,” he said.
Umbilo police are investigating further. The robbery comes just days after a robbery at NWJ in Galleria Mall on the south coast. Since the start of 2017, malls across the city have been hit by hammer-wielding gangs who pound through the glass display cabinets, making off with items.