Scenes are tense inside Gateway Mall, in Durban, where a jewellery store was pillaged by armed suspects.
Watch: Armed robbers takedown Gateway Mall jewellery store
Eyewitnesses watched on in horror as multiple men, armed with assault rifles, broke into the store, smashing display stands and grabbing whatever they could get their hands on.
This eyewitness, who was brazen enough to stand a floor above the crime scene with her phone recording the robbery, captured that haunting moments of the heist.
An unknown gentleman dressed in a white sweater was seen walking out of the shop to be on the lookout as his co-conspirators emptied the store of its jewellery.
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) January 15, 2021
Inside look at the damage left by robbers
Renowned crime reporter Yusuf Abramjee posted images of the ransacked store on Twitter. From the display stands that border the store, to rows of items from luxury designers like Hublot, the suspects made sure to clean everything out.
Gateway Mall Durban jewellery heist. pic.twitter.com/VFFQjkV9OZ
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) January 15, 2021
At this time, no further details have been released on the current status of the suspects. Gateway Mall, owned by Old Mutual Property, has yet to issue a statement on the incident.
Shoppers are advised to avoid the Umhlanga area near the shopping complex since it’s presumed the suspects are still at large.
This is a developing story.