Armed Robbery At Chatsworth Centre Leaves Security Guard Injured

An armed robbery at Mayuris Jewellers inside Chatsworth Centre left a security guard injured and several staff members traumatised on Tuesday.

The robbery unfolded when a group of about eight armed men stormed the jewellery store, sending shoppers and workers in nearby stores into panic.

Witness Recounts Chatsworth Centre Robbery Incident

Pastor Selvan Govender, who is also an IFP councillor, said he was sitting at a Wimpy restaurant opposite the jewellery store when the incident occurred.

Govender said he only realised something was wrong when he left the restaurant and noticed a security guard sitting on the stairs visibly shaken.

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“I saw the guard trembling and a man wearing a reflective jacket standing next to him,” Govender said.

“At that stage I did not know that a robbery was taking place because there were no gunshots.”

He said he approached the guard to ask if he was alright, but the guard appeared too frightened to respond.

“I then asked the man standing next to him what was happening, but he just looked at me and said nothing,” Govender said.

Moments later, several men rushed out of the jewellery store.

“That’s when the man who was next to the guard lifted his firearm and cocked it before running towards the exit with the others,” he said.

Govender later learned that the guard had been held at gunpoint and threatened to prevent him from alerting anyone about the robbery.

According to witnesses, the suspects wore surgical masks and carried a grey bag as they fled the centre.

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“They had their firearms raised and appeared ready to shoot if anyone tried to stop them,” Govender said.

After the suspects fled, staff inside the jewellery store locked themselves inside while waiting for police to arrive.

Govender said employees indicated through the glass doors that no one inside the store had been injured.

Guard Assaulted During Escape

Another witness, Rukhsana Sayed, who works at a nearby shop, said she saw one of the suspects attack a security guard during the chaos.

She explained that the guard had been approaching another guard who appeared to be under pressure when the suspect suddenly ran towards him with a firearm.

“Shoppers were already running past our store, so we realised something serious was happening and quickly closed our doors,” Sayed said.

She said the suspect chased the guard, grabbed him by his belt and struck him on the head with the gun. “The guard suffered a deep wound to the back of his head,” she said.

Sayed said she later went to check on employees at the jewellery store after the suspects fled.

According to staff members, the suspects allegedly gained entry after a man approached the store entrance pretending to be a customer.

When staff opened the gate, the man reportedly prevented it from closing while the rest of the group rushed inside. “We are just grateful that nobody inside the store was shot,” she said.

Several Treated for Shock

Claude Subramodey, spokesperson for Amawele Emergency Services, said paramedics treated six employees for shock following the robbery.

A security guard who sustained head injuries during the incident was transported to hospital for further treatment.

Meanwhile, Vish Mudaly, spokesperson for the Chatsworth Community Policing Forum (CPF), confirmed that police are investigating the robbery.

He said the CPF is working closely with authorities and has requested increased police visibility in and around the shopping centre.

Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.