Daily Dispatch

Newly opened furniture store in East London targeted by night thieves

- MALIBONGWE DAYIMANI CRIME REPORTER malibongwe­d@dispatch.co.za

The newly opened Home Choice furniture store in downtown East London was broken into and an undisclose­d number of expensive television sets and i-phones were stolen.

Hawkers were moved away on Thursday while a crowd of 30 onlookers peered into the store as two forensic investigat­ors combed the store for evidence.

East London police spokespers­on Captain Hazel Mqala said the theft had been noticed on Thursday morning by the store manager and her team reporting for duty.

Mqala said it was a mystery how the thieves had gained entry into the store and managed to beat the alarm system.

There are no signs of forced entry and the assistant store manager activated the alarm on Wednesday evening when she knocked off from work.”

Mqala said the manager who was interviewe­d by the police, was unable to disclose the value of the stolen TVs, i-Phones and other luxury goods.

The Dispatch visited the store and was greeted by five women members of the staff giving statements to investigat­ing officers.

The Dispatch tried to interview the manager but the reporter was escorted outside the cordoned off premises by a crime scene manager to where a crowd of 30 onlookers peered in.

It was a mystery how the thieves had gained entry into the store

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