Durban - With the suspected leader of the “hammer gang” still behind bars, a new gang is thought to be behind a recent spate of robberies at malls.
This comes after a number of jewellery, accessory, cellphone, and other stores, were robbed in the past three months.
The most recent robberies were at American Swiss, at Musgrave Centre, on Friday, and Sunglass Hut, in Cornubia Mall, last Wednesday.
The Foschini Group (TFG) said armed robbers had entered the
Musgrave American Swiss store at around 9am on Friday, and held up employees.
“The suspects fled with an undisclosed amount of watches.
“Only one minor injury was reported and all employees have been offered counselling services,” said Deon Potgieter, TFG Group security manager.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said four robbers had been involved in that incident.
Musgrave Centre general manager Ruth Isaac told the Independent on Saturday it was concerning that criminals were again targeting malls.
In May, the Musgrave Edgars Beauty store was broken into by two armed men who had overcome security guards and robbed them of their radio handsets and cellphones.
Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Andreas Mathios said one of the reasons mall robberies had resurfaced was because victims had let their guard down, while criminals did their homework and looked for weaknesses.
“People need to be aware of suspicious vehicles parked outside malls with the engine running at a ‘no parking’ zone or at the entrance or exit, next to a cellphone or jewellery store,” he said.
Mathios said people should report suspicious activities to the police and provide them with as much information as possible.
In July 2017, the Provincial Mall Robbery Task Team arrested the alleged kingpin and an accomplice for smash-and-grab raids on jewellery and other high end goods at malls.
During the arrest, police recovered watches and expensive perfumes taken in some of the robberies.
The “kingpin” was positively linked to at least three mall robberies, while the accomplice was found in possession of goods taken during a fourth robbery.
Those arrested for the mall robberies were in custody while their court cases were proceeding.
Between April and May 2017, there were more than 20 mall robberies in KwaZulu-Natal.
Malls hit included Gateway Theatre of Shopping, The Pavilion, Chatsworth Centre, Southway Mall, Watercrest Mall, The Pearls, Westwood Mall, Pine Crest Shopping Centre, Kloof Village Mall, Malvern Centre, Musgrave Centre, Tiffany’s Shopping Centre, The Atrium Berea, Scottburgh Mall, Galleria Mall and Bluff Towers.