Toddler and granny shot in mall robbery

JOHANNESBURG police are on the trail of five other men believed to have taken part in a robbery at the Randridge Mall on Saturday afternoon.

Nine men exchanged fire with the police during a robbery at the mall in Randparkridge.

Following a high-speed chase, four suspects were arrested but five managed to get away.

Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said he was confident the other suspects would be apprehended soon.

"We are still looking for them and are hopeful of making an arrest soon. We are following up on several leads and hopefully we'll make a breakthrough," Dlamini said.

The robbery left a number of people, including a toddler, with injuries.

The toddler and his grandmother were both shot.

"The child is one and a half years old," Dlamini said.

"Both him and his grandmother were shot in the legs but were operated on.

"They are doing well and are in a stable condition."

The men held staff and customers at NWJ, a jewellery shop, at gunpoint and fled with jewellery.

"Police gave chase and arrested four but the others managed to get away," Dlamini said.

"The four arrested have been charged with five counts of attempted murder and armed robbery," he said.

They will all appear in the Randburg Magistrate's Court today.

- selebim@sowetan.co.za