DAYLIGHT ROBBERY

‘Foreign’ robbers pull off daring jewellery shop heist

Shoppers were left speechless yesterday when two armed men staged a daring daylight robbery on a jewellery shop situated at the popular Tigne Point shopping complex.

One man, a security officer, was injured in the process.

The hold-up took place at around 10am. The shop, Diamonds International, is situated in the outdoor plaza area.

The robbers, who were wearing wigs and sunglasses, burst into the shop, smashing display cases with what looked like an axe.

Pictures of the scene show extensive damage to the shop, with sources close to the investigation saying that the value of the stolen items could run into hundreds of thousands.

The actual robbery took less than five minutes. It is understood that the robbers, who are believed to be foreigners, systematically smashed the display cases, emptying the contents into a sack.

The men had a car waiting nearby, probably driven by an accomplice. The car, a rental Suzuki, was found abandoned in the Madonna tal-Ġebla Street, Gżira, some time later.

A 45-year-old shop manager was slightly injured after he was hit in the head with the butt of a weapon. He was assaulted when he tried to stop the robbers from making their escape. According to reports, another employee was hit in the leg by a rubber bullet.

The police said three men were in the shop when the robbers hit: the manager, a 55-year-old man from Gżira and a 33-year-old man from Naxxar. The last two were treated for shock but were unhurt, according to a police statement.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri is conducting an inquiry.