Four men caught with jewellery and watches believed to have been stolen from Francarlo Jewellers in Walmer Park Shopping Centre were arrested on Tuesday. 
A tip-off led police to 26 suspected stolen watches and an assortment of  jewellery – some that still had the store display tags attached.
The bust has been described as a breakthrough after police were told a man was trying to sell an expensive watch, thought to be stolen, in New Brighton.
The men have since been implicated in the burglary of Francarlo Jewellers and the iStore in Walmer Park Shopping Centre last Thursday.
The watches and jewellery were stolen after seven men, armed with firearms, sledgehammers and a crowbar bar, broke into the centre and targeted the two shops.The four were arrested following a joint operation and police raids in New Brighton and Algoa Park that started at 1am on Tuesday morning.
According to police, some of the watches included brand names like Fossil, Police, Swiss, Victorinox and Rolex.
Police spokesman Captain Johan Rheeder said the sequence of events started when police found the man walking and trying to pawn a watch in Eveready Road, New Brighton, shortly after midnight.
“He was arrested and the information followed up which led police to several addresses in the Algoa Park and New Brighton area.
“Various police officials, including Flying Squad members, conducted joint raids at the houses,” he said.
“This led to four men being arrested at various houses after some of the suspected stolen items were recovered.”
Asked if they had been tied to the break-in, Rheeder said the men, aged between 29 and 48, were initially arrested for being in possession of stolen goods.
“As the investigation continues, more charges could be added. This could also include the actual burglary,” he said.
At the time of the burglary, 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, the seven men broke into the centre by forcing open a 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 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 they managed to steal watches from the shop's front display area.  
The suspects were unsuccessful in stealing anything from the iStore,” she said.
By 4:10am the suspects had fled through the fire escape door.
The men are due to appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court on Thursday.