Gang of thieves targets PE shopping centre

It took less than two minutes for a gang of thieves to break into Walmer Park Shopping Centre on Thursday morning, smash their way through display windows and steal jewellery before escaping.

The suspects hit two stores – Francarlo Jewellers and the iStore – at the same time shorty after 4am.

They managed to steal jewellery including watches worth about R250,000.

Centre manager Leonie Scheepers said the incident – captured on CCTV and lasting one minute and 40 seconds – appeared to be well orchestrated.

Scheepers said the burglary started at 4:07am when two vehicles entered the centre car park from the 14th Avenue entrance and drove to the Mugg & Bean receiving area.

A minute later, seven men armed with firearms, a sledge hammer and a crowbar broke into the centre by forcing open the fire escape door in the passage leading to the toilets.

“Whilst only seven suspects entered the centre, there were a total of nine suspects, including two drivers,” she said.

“Five suspects went straight to Francarlo where they proceeded to smash three of the shop front windows with a sledge hammer while two suspects went to iStore and smashed the shop front entrance door and gained access to the store.”

Scheepers said the suspects did not gain access to the interior of Francarlo, however were successful is stealing some watches from the shop front displays.

“The suspects were unsuccessful in stealing anything from the iStore,” she said.

By 4:10am the suspects had fled through the fire escape door.

“From entering the centre to the last suspect leaving was a total of one minute, 40 seconds,” Scheepers said.

Asked where the on-site security was, Scheepers said the centre security shift was doing patrols.

Scheepers added that they were going through all the CCTV footage to ensure that the guards were at their posts.

“The store alarms did activate with their armed response companies who then in turn notify the centre security 24-hour control room,” she said.

iStore manager Anita Nieuwoudt said the men initially tried to open the shop glass stack doors by using a crow bar.

“They then used a sledge hammer to break [one panel] of the [glass stack] doors. Nothing was stolen fortunately,” she said.

Police spokesman Warrant Officer Alwin Labans said an investigation into burglary, theft and damage to property was under way.