A Telkom store at Kolonade Mall in Montana, Pretoria, has become the latest electronics and telecommunications store to be hit in a wave of robberies taht have affected such outlets in recent weeks.
The Kolonade store was robbed on Tuesday evening of electronic goods worth over R200 000, police said.
“Two armed men entered the store and demanded that the staff go to the back before taking cellphones worth over R200 000,” captain Johannes Maheso said.
Two men in a gang of four entered the store while the others remained outside. Once they collected their loot, the gang made their getaway.
Maheso said no shots were fired and no one was injured.
The mall’s management was not available for comment.
Kolonade was the sixth mall in Gauteng to be hit by robbers in the past two months.
On Monday, Maponya mall in Soweto and Northgate mall were also hit by robberies.
At Maponya mall, six men took part in the crime. According to police, two security guards went inside the mall to collect money. As they were walking inside the mall, they were confronted by a man who pointed a firearm at them, and he took the money in the bags the guards were carrying.
The man left the mall, meeting another man at the entrance who fired a shot. The robbers then ran away, and were joined by four others.
At Northgate mall, two men robbed a cellphone shop. The manager was forced into the back office, where they took money and cellphones and fled. No shots were fired. No one was injured.
The iStore at Centurion Mall was robbed of goods worth over R1m on 22 August.
On 13 August, the iStore at Cresta Shopping Centre was robbed and one person was injured when the gang made their getaway.
The Glen’s iStore was robbed a few days later. — Sapa