Cape Town – A third jewellery store in the CBD has been targeted by armed robbers this month – this time at the upmarket Cape Quarter Lifestyle Village in Green Point.
Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirmed that police are investigating a business robbery that occurred at 10am on Wednesday in Somerset Road.
"According to available information, four men – one armed with a firearm and others with hammers – entered the premises and threatened the complainant. No shooting and injuries were reported.
"The suspects fled the scene in a white Ford Fiesta with jewellery worth an undisclosed amount. Police detectives are following up on leads."
Two weeks ago, the jewellery store at the luxury Mount Nelson Hotel was targeted by 15 armed men, who had arrived in two vehicles and gained access to the premises by threatening a security guard.
Armed with sledgehammers, they smashed the glass jewellery cabinet display windows to remove items worth about R50 000. They also stole about R6 000 in cash from the front desk and cellphones from guests.
At the beginning of the month, four armed men robbed The Diamond Works store opposite the Cape Town International Convention Centre on a Friday morning.
Wearing masks and workmen's overalls, they entered the shop in the Metropolitan building, which is under construction, and forced their way passed security, leaving with an undisclosed amount of jewellery.
The Cape Town Central City Improvement District said after the Mount Nelson Hotel robbery that businesses in the CBD were experiencing “unprecedented levels of armed robberies at the moment”.