A jewellery store inside the ever-busy East Rand Mall was targeted in a robbery that was caught on CCTV.
UPDATE: In a statement, Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed two suspects were arrested in connection with the brazen East Rand Mall robbery. Read the full statement below:
Gauteng Police arrested two suspects and recovered hi-calibre firearms, ammunition, getaway cars, and explosives following a business robbery that took place at a jewellery shop in Ekurhuleni on Sunday, 18 June 2023. It is alleged that about eight suspects entered into a jewellery shop and held up the employees at gunpoint before taking an undisclosed amount of jewellery from the shelves. As they were getting out of the mall, suspects fired shots randomly. Mall security and police gave chase to the suspects as they sped off with getaway cars.
The high-speed chase continued until in Alexandra, where one of the getaway cars was cornered and one suspect was arrested. The suspect led the police to two houses in Alexandra, where the second suspect was arrested and three other getaway cars were recovered. The suspects were found with two rifles, a pistol, ammunition, and explosives. Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the getaway cars, Audi A4, was reported to be hijacked in Limpopo Province early this year. Police are still on the lookout for suspects that are still at large and the jewellery taken during the business robbery.
The arrested suspects will be charged with business robbery, possession of unlicensed firearms and possession of suspected hijacked vehicle, amongst other crimes.
East Rand Mall robbery: Armed suspects take down jewellery store
Details about the brazen heist were still sketchy when this article was published.
However, according to online reports, shoppers were caught off guard when, seemingly out of the blue, a group of heavily armed suspects barged into a jewellery store demanding cash and precious stones on display.
East Rand police had not released a statement when this article was published. However, based on several videos taken by eyewitnesses, several gunshots were fired during the robbery, albeit, it remains unclear, at this juncture, if any persons were injured.
Moreover, CCTV footage showed at least eight suspects running toward an exit carrying large sacks believed to be filled with stolen jewellery.
When this article was published, it was believed the suspects involved in the brazen East Rand Mall robbery were still at large and considered armed and highly dangerous.
Authorities cordoned off the area around the targeted jewellery store to collect evidence, examine footage for clues and interview eyewitnesses.
Here are some of the videos showing the brazen East Rand Mall robbery:
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CCTV shows eight suspects linked to the jewellery store robbery
Eyewitnesses gather outside the jewellery store as gunshots ring off in the mall
This is a developing story.