Durban — A suspect is expected to appear in court on Monday after he was arrested following the robbery of a jewellery store in the Cornubia/Mt Edgecombe vicinity last week.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Verulam police are investigating a case of business robbery following an incident that occurred on Friday, November 10, 2023, at a jewellery store in a mall in Verulam.
“It is alleged that four armed suspects entered the business premise and demanded money but there was no money, the suspects then resorted to breaking the glass counter and opening the jewellery unit. Suspects fled the scene with the jewellery in a getaway vehicle,” Netshiunda said.
“The investigation led to the arrest of a 36-year-old man. He is expected to appear today (Monday) in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court.”
According to KZN VIP Protection Services spokesperson Gareth Naidoo, a business robbery occurred at a mall in the Cornubia/Mt. Edgecombe area and members of KZN VIP were dispatched to reports of a business robbery in progress at a jewellery store in the mall.
Naidoo said bystanders watched as approximately 10 armed suspects stormed the jewellery store.
“Two suspects were dressed in tactical gear and the suspects used two VW Polos with reg. ND162153 white in colour hatchback and the second VW Polo reg. ND160925 Silver in colour sedan shape,” Naidoo said.
“Multiple emergency services attended together with SAPS.
“The suspects got away with an undisclosed amount of valuables. The last known direction was M41 Joining N2 southbound.”
Naidoo said no injuries were reported but the staff were severely traumatised following the incident.
According to a success report received by the ‘Daily News’, several SAPS units and external role-players such as Fidelity, Cornubia Mall centre management, Magma Security and Investigations, Hawks Protection Services and Business Against Crime were involved in the arrest and recovery.
The report read that an armed robbery took place at Cornubia Mall at 11.30am at Aveer Jewellers.
Fidelity SIU immediately got all the necessary information and lookouts and distributed the information accordingly to all necessary role-players. After the suspects fled the scene of the crime the suspects’ vehicles were tracked down in uMlazi.
“The members tactically surrounded the first location of the white Polo hatchback. The suspect attempted to flee out of the Polo and the members apprehended the suspect immediately,” the report read.
It said that after interviewing the suspect on the whereabouts of his “crew”, three safe houses were tactically approached and were found abandoned. In two safe houses, the two vehicles were found. The vehicles were used in the commission of the crime.
The report also revealed that the two Polos were used to commit the robbery while a Kia Rio sedan was used outside as a stopper group at the entrance of the mall.
It also said that one safe house only had a few exhibits of the suspects.
“Unfortunately, no items were recovered from the incident,” the report read.
“The gang is formally from uMlazi.”
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