Future of jewellery stores in malls uncertain

The NWJ jewellery store inside Amanzimtoti's Galleria Mall is the latest to be targeted, adding to an already long list of KZN jewellery shops that have been robbed in last few months.

Police say two armed men held up employees at the Galleria store before fleeing with merchandise. 

The council's Chris van Rensburg says these attacks have put the future of jewellery stores at shopping centres in doubt...

"We are not going to see jewellery retail stores in the future if this carries on. The risk is just too high. The insurance companies don't want to insure them anymore -  and when they do it is extremely expensive. There are no feasible business plans anymore. And then the most important thing is not the financial issue, but I think it lies [with] the risk. I do not want to go and shop at a clothing store that is next to a jewellery store," he said.

The Jewellery Council of South Africa says the current brazen robberies at jewellery stores are happening because of huge demand on the black market. 

The NWJ jewellery store inside Amanzimtoti's Galleria Mall is the latest to be targeted, adding to an already long list of KZN jewellery shops that have been robbed in last few months.

Police say two armed men held up employees at the Galleria store before fleeing with merchandise. 

The council's Chris van Rensburg says these attacks have put the future of jewellery stores at shopping centres in doubt...

"We are not going to see jewellery retail stores in the future if this carries on. The risk is just too high. The insurance companies don't want to insure them anymore -  and when they do it is extremely expensive. There are no feasible business plans anymore. And then the most important thing is not the financial issue, but I think it lies [with] the risk. I do not want to go and shop at a clothing store that is next to a jewellery store," he said.