Armed robbers storm East Rand diamond store

Gauteng police have confirmed an armed robbery at a jewellery store at Lakeside Mall in Benoni on the East Rand at around noon on Sunday.

According to police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubele three men entered the store armed with rifles.

“We understand the men made off with jewellery of which the value is unknown at this stage. They fled in a white VW Polo and a white Mercedes Benz‚” he said.

No shots were fired.

Benoni City Times meanwhile has reported that the mall’s general manager Chantell Roemer said Hayward Diamonds was targeted.

This is the second jewellery store robbery in Benoni recently.

On March 28 JJ Jewellers in Northmead Square was hit at around 11.40am by four men‚ also armed.

A jewellery store inside Rosebank Mall was also broken into last week‚ however it is unclear if anything was taken. Makhubele said police could not confirm at this stage if the incidents were linked.

“We don’t know if these incidents are all the same people. But as part of our strategy‚ police will be more visible in and around malls especially over the Easter weekend‚” he said.