Cape Town – Billowing thick smoke greeted a Cavendish Square worker, who rushed out her store after hearing gunshots on Tuesday morning.
Arlene, 27, said she had heard three gunshots around 11:00.
“I went out to the railing and saw three guys inside [Trigg Jewellers] busy grabbing jewellery,” she told News24.
“Another noise went off, but it was a smoke bomb. Smoke started rushing out and they ran out. They broke two glass display windows and grabbed more jewellery.”
A few men remained in the back of Trigg Jewellers, she said.
She did not see any weapons, but was adamant that the noises she heard were bullets being fired.
“A lot of people were shouting and scattering. There was a time you could hardly see anything and the smell was unpleasant.”
Shocked by the scene, she rushed back into her store and locked up.
She hid under a counter and phoned a colleague who was coming in for a later shift.
Another witness, Clive, who was working in a shop opposite the jewellery store, said police were speaking to employees who “looked very traumatised”.
He had heard at least two gunshots being fired and that 15 suspects were involved.
All the gang members managed to escape.
Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that a case of armed robbery has been opened for investigation.
Cavendish centre’s manager Brenda Bibby confirmed the robbery had taken place, but said only seven robbers were involved and that no shots were fired.
Source – News24
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