Robberies ring in the holidays

Armed robbers have launched 106 attacks on shopping malls across South Africa in just six weeks.

Brazen and increasingly violent, robbers are targeting high-end goods such as cellphones as retailers gear up for the holidays.

Gangs hit malls across the Western Cape and Gauteng last week, and a G4S cash guard was killed on Sunday.

A multi-security and cellphone industry task team has been launched that will view CCTV footage from recent attacks and, using identification software, try to identify the perpetrators.

Police detective boss Lieutenant-General Vinesh Moonoo, speaking yesterday at the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation extraordinary meeting, said of the 18 cases the team examined, 12 were linked.

Police said the stolen cellphones were couriered to Nigeria, and service providers reported that most of them were activated there.

Leigh Brown of the Consumer Goods Council's Risk Initiative said more than R10-million in losses had been reported. "We have seen gangs shifting their focus as cash companies and retailers improve the handling of money, with robbers focused more on commodities."