A group of about 16 suspects armed with AK-47 and R5 rifles and 9mm pistols robbed two stores at East Rand Junction, in Rietfontein Road, yesterday morning (January 8) just after 10:00.

After the robbery of Cellular Inc and The Ghetto stores, police found numerous catridges and projectiles in the parking area, in front of the shops and inside the stores that were robbed.

A shop assistant was taken to hospital after being assaulted on the back of his head and three shop windows and five customer vehicles were damaged by bullets.

The suspects, who according to police were all neatly dressed, were in three vehicles – a white Ford Fiesta, gun-metal grey Audi and a Grey VW.

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The centre was open and it was business as usual, according to Boksburg North SAPS.

Shots were fired into Cellular Inc and four staff and four customers fled to the back of the shop before three suspects entered and continued firing shots.

They broke glass counter cabinets and stole several cellphones, tablets and watches, which they put into bags they’d brought with them.

There were still shots being fired outside by more suspects in the parking lot.

The suspects then went into the back of the shop and demanded the key for a cage in which more cellphones were kept. This is when they assaulted the shop assistant on the back of the head.

They opened the cage and took more cellphones.

While the suspects were in the cellular phone shop, three other suspects fired shots into The Ghetto and smashed glass display cabinets to steal watches and sunglasses.

The suspects all had their faces covered with balaclavas.

The value of the goods stolen from the two stores is about R750 000.

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