Cops to act on mall hits
Task team set up to focus on robberies
THREE more Durban shopping centres have been targeted in the past few days – and a police task team has been set up to tackle the crime wave.
KZN SAPS spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbethe said the team, made up of members from various departments, was formed several weeks ago to tackle the rise in shopping mall crimes.
“We can confirm that the team exists, but we can’t divulge any details,” said Mbethe.
Business Against Crime (BAC) KwaZulu-Natal branch manager Naeem Rahiman said it was part of the task team.
“We assist business in any way we can. We are co-operating fully with the task team but we cannot say anything more on so as to not affect the work of the officers.”
The Platinum Jewellers shop at the Pearls Mall in uMhlanga was hit yesterday.
General manager of the mall, Yolandé Mattison, said: “Three armed robbers targeted Platinum Jewellers.
“The assailants fled with an unconfirmed amount of jewellery.
A swift response from the mall security, who immediately alerted armed response, meant that the incident was quickly brought under control.”
She said their security team would work with SAPS to ensure that the criminals were apprehended and prosecuted.
Police confirmed that shop employees had been held at gunpoint while the robbers snatched jewellery.
Southway Mall in Seaview was hit twice this week, and once two weeks ago.
In this week’s first incident, two men entered a store posing as customers. Others followed, breaking the glass display cabinets and stealing jewellery.
Five men were later arrested and the stolen goods recovered.
Police were investigating whether the men were linked to any other shopping mall crimes.
In the second incident, on Thursday night, a gang broke into a liquor store and stole cigarettes and alcohol.
On Wednesday night, four men smashed through the glass of Cash Converters at the Atrium shopping centre in Overport and stole car radios, tablets and chargers.
The men used heavy hammers to break the glass, while patrons were eating in nearby restaurants.