Suspects at large after PMB jewellery store heist

According to police, the owner of Mayuri's Jewellery store at the Liberty Midlands Mall was about to open - when she was approached by five suspects.

It's understood the mall had to be partially closed while police searched for the suspects inside the centre after the incident.

The police's Thembeka Mbhele says the suspects are still at large.

"At gunpoint they took jewellery and an undisclosed amount of money, before they fled the scene. Fortunately, there were no shots that were fired. A case of armed robbery was opened in Pietermaritzburg, and the case is still under investigation," she said.

When Newswatch arrived on scene, police officers and detectives were taking statements and collecting other evidence.

Speaking at the scene, Dilip Baria - one of the directors of the Mayuris Jewellery Store - told Newswatch he believes they were robbed by same syndicate that's been targeting other businesses in the area. 

"Five guys came in, pushed through the door, held the store up and went straight to the safe - started emptying it and putting things into their bags, and left. It's the same modus operandi everywhere - wherever there was a robbery, that's what they do. If the security was beefed up, we would've been much safer," he said. 

Baria says four female employees were in the store at the time, and although not physically harmed, they are still in shock.