Five suspects have been arrested in Umlazi following a daring R3 million jewellery heist at an Umhlanga shopping mall.
Image: KZN Police
A swift intelligence-driven operation by KwaZulu-Natal police resulted in the arrest of five suspects in Umlazi on Monday morning, following a brazen jewellery store robbery at an Umhlanga shopping mall on Sunday.
The suspects, whose ages range from 20 to 44, were apprehended in the early hours of 13 April 2026. The arrests came after a high-stakes pursuit that began immediately after the Sunday heist. While processing the crime scene at the mall, investigators received a breakthrough regarding the suspects' whereabouts.
Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza confirmed that police received "crucial information that the suspects in the robbery were seeking a buyer of the stolen items at Umlazi."
In response to this intelligence, officers from the Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit and the eThekwini District Task Team "swiftly acted on the intelligence and proceeded to Umlazi in search of the suspects," according to Magwaza.
The operation proved successful, with police recovering a massive haul of suspected stolen property. Magwaza stated that "jewellery estimated to be valued at R3 million was recovered, as well as clothing, bank cards, and mobile routers" during the coordinated effort.
The five men now face heavy charges including business robbery and attempted murder. They are expected to remain in custody until their first appearance at the Durban Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 15 April 2026.
Despite the breakthrough and the recovery of millions of rands worth of stock, the South African Police Service indicated that "investigations are still ongoing" as they piece together the full circumstances surrounding the Umhlanga robbery.