While everyone was panic buying ahead of the national lockdown back in March, criminals were getting one last heist in before the stay-at-home orders kicked into gear.

The robbery, alleged to have taken place on March 25, saw an undisclosed haul of jewellery liberated from a store inside the Westgate shopping centre in Roodepoort.

Following this, crime calmed down for a while, mostly because we were all confined to our homes.

Now, as alert levels are eased and things go, in certain respects, back to normal, jewellery stores are once again being targeted by brazen criminals, happy to do their business in broad daylight.

Two heists took place yesterday, Tuesday, August 11, in two different provinces.

Let’s start with the one that played out at Somerset Mall in the Western Cape.

Cape Town Etc reports that five gunmen are believed to have robbed the Africa Diamond store at 10AM. The store’s employees were held at gunpoint while the robbers looted the store, making off with the jewellery.

Image: @LudidiVelani/ Twitter

A suspect was arrested by security while his accomplices fled the scene in a white Audi, chased by police on the N2 highway.

Image: Swisher Post

The chase ended in a shootout in which “one of the robbers was shot by police and another was wounded”.

The abandoned Audi seen below:

1: Following a daring diamond heist at Somerset Mall:

This was the drama unfolding on the N2 10km away:

A massive police contingent surrounded an abandoned Audi – which appeared to have left the road at high speed into a shallow vlei at Khayelitsha.@News24 @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/XaPG3KZhSd

— MURRAY WILLIAMS (@MurrayRSA) August 11, 2020

Meanwhile, in Gauteng, News24 confirms that police have launched a manhunt for six people after a jewellery heist at the Nicol Way shopping centre.

The criminals broke the window of the jewellery store, before making off with luxury wristwatches.

At least two of the robbers were armed.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said the brands and value of the watches are yet to be determined.

Image: Supplied/News24

Peters added that the robbers allegedly fired shots as they ran out of the centre and fled the scene in a white Golf GTI and a white Renault.

Watch it play out, here:

No injuries were reported, and a search for the crooks is underway.

Two in one day.

[sources:capetownetc&news24]