Time's up for gang of 'Rolex robbers'

Six suspects were arrested on Friday in connection with a robbery at a watch store in the upmarket Menlyn Mall in Pretoria.

Police spokesperson Captain Colette Weilbach said the arrests were made in Mamelodi. “Members of the Mpumalanga and Limpopo Tracking teams arrested six suspects at different addresses.”

Four men wearing beanies and hats entered the mall on Monday at around 6pm. They proceeded to The Vault watch store where they overpowered two security officers. The suspects fired one shot before smashing the display window with a hammer and stealing an unknown number of Rolex watches.

Security officers tried to stop them as they fled in two cars. One‚ a white BMW‚ escaped via the Gobie Street exit.

“The suspects again fired shots at the security before speeding off in an unknown direction. No one was injured during the incident‚” said Weilbach.

Police recovered cash‚ two suspected stolen cars‚ two guns and a brand new Volkswagen Golf that one of the robbers had allegedly purchased with the proceeds from the robbery.

The suspects‚ who are in their 30s and 40s‚ will appear next week in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court. “They will also be profiled to ascertain if they can be linked to other similar crimes in the province‚” said Weilbach.