police

Photo: SAPS

Uncut gems: Police recover watches, diamonds worth R8m from shop

Police recovered suspected stolen goods worth R8 million from a Cape Town pawn shop, including watches, uncut diamonds and gemstones.

police

Photo: SAPS

Cape Town police officers recovered stolen goods worth R8 million from a pawn shop in the city. What started off as a search for a stolen high-end watch ended in the discovery of hundreds of gemstones that could not be accounted for.

POLICE RECOVER WATCHES, GEMS

According to South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson in the Western Cape, Captain FC van Wyk, members of the Maitland SAPS Flying Squad followed information about a stolen watch to a pawn shop in Cape Town on Monday.

Police officers found the watch they were after in the shop along with 51 other expensive timepieces. A more thorough search of the premises led to the discovery of what was presumed to be uncut diamonds and multicoloured gemstones. In total, police confiscated 544 gemstones.

“The value of all items that were confiscated are estimated at R8 000 000,” said van Wyk.

A 45-year-old suspect was arrested on stolen property charges and detained at a Cape Town SAPS station.

The suspect appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 28 July.

In keeping with diamond news, a 342.92 carat rough diamond was discovered at the Cullinan Mine in Gauteng on Wednesday. The Type 2a white diamond is expected to fetch hundreds of millions of rand when its owners, Petra, eventually put it up for auction.