This comes after a video of the smash-and-grab incident was posted on Facebook after it took place at the centre on 7 January at 15.44pm.
“The police will be using the footage for further investigation,” said Cloete.
Deborah Hall, Bryanston Shopping Centre’s manager, said she suspects that there is a smash-and-grab syndicate operating at malls based in northern Johannesburg. Cloete advised, “Local shopping centres have been targeted with the use of jamming devices but we’re still investigating forced entry in this case. People must ensure that their valuables are kept out of sight and packed away in the boot of their vehicles.”
In the video, a man carrying a brick approaches a vehicle and smashes the back passenger window behind the driver’s seat. He quickly grabs a laptop bag, gets into another vehicle and drives off.
Andre Snyman posted the video on his Facebook page as part of an initiative of Eblockwatch, a project which fights crime by alerting communities about criminal activities.
“Security from the centre sent us the video to circulate. They told us that there has been a man at the centre who goes around smashing people’s cars and stealing their property,” explained Snyman.
See the video here: https://on.fb.me/Kxr5XG
