Shops and restaurants in KwaZulu-Natal malls are proving to be soft targets for crime over the busy and lucrative festive season.

On Sunday morning, staff at the Spur restaurant in the Gateway shopping mall in Umhlanga were robbed at gunpoint by five armed men.

Police spokesperson Inspector Michael Read said R70 000 was taken by the robbers.

‘Everyone at the store is feeling uneasy’
“No one was injured and no shots were fired. The robbers fled on foot and we are currently viewing security camera footage.”

An employee of the restaurant, who asked for his identity to be protected, said this was the second armed robbery in the last 12 months.

“This is one of the busier stores in the mall and we have the opportunity to earn well here.

“The staff at the restaurants that are very busy are worried about their safety. Everyone at the store is feeling uneasy, especially those who are working the late shift,” he said.

The restaurant management declined to comment.

‘We have an undercover team’
While police maintain that mall crime is under control, mall managers believe their tenants are soft targets during the festive season.

While armed robberies were not common, credit card fraud and shoplifting has prompted shops and malls to hire extra security and staff.

Staff in some stores that are usually lax when checking signatures on credit and debit cards have been asked to scrutinise every transaction.

Clothing retail stores have also reported an increase in the number of shoplifting incidents.

Nolan Naidoo, store manager of Totalsports at Westville’s Pavilion, said they had charged three shoplifters within the last week.

“We’ve got in extra staff who are visible and are there to act as a deterrent,” he said.

Gateway spokesperson Lisa Sukdev said the centre management launched an investigation into the robbery and were working on several leads.

“Police are working on several leads and hope to make arrests soon,” she said.

“To combat petty crime we have an undercover team working together with our centre security,” said Sukdev.

Faso Majola, centre manager for the KwaMashu Mall, said while there were no incidents of crime this weekend, shoplifting was still a problem.

“Our biggest concern is shoplifting. We need to install CCTV cameras in all the stores to combat the criminals,” he said security.

Tia Marks, centre manager for the Midlands Liberty Mall in Pietermaritzburg, said the latest armed robbery confirmed that malls were targets throughout the country.

“We have upped our security substantially and there is an emphasis on securing the complex at night,” she said.

Preston Gaddy, centre manager at the Pavilion, said increased security personnel had been on duty since November 28.

“All centre managers are aware of incidents that have taken place at shopping malls in Johannesburg, so as a precautionary measure additional security has been employed,” he said.

“We have also had contact meetings with Metro police and the South African Police Service.

“Security staff are now more aware, alert and vigilant considering the centre is anticipating more than 2,7 million people are going to visit the centre over the festive season.”

This article was originally published on page 1 of Daily News on December 19, 2005

Source: Independent Online (IOL)
URL: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click…/p>