Port Elizabeth police are on the trail of an armed gang who robbed a jewellery store in Greenacres Shopping Centre Thursday morning.
Police spokesperson, Captain Johan Rheeder, says police received a call just after 9am about shots being fired.
"When a policeman on duty responded he came under fire from around seven men who had robbed the Fischers Jewellery Store," he said.
"The policeman, who was wounded in the left ankle, managed to return fire, wounding one of the robbers in the left hip. The wounded man dropped a bag containing jewellery while the others fled in a waiting car," said Rheeder.
The vehicle, which had been stolen in the Mount Road, was found abandoned in Newton Park.
Rheeder says the gang apparently fled in a second vehicle and are still at large.
"The wounded policemand and the robber were admitted to hospital in a stable condition," he said.
Avril van Neel, who works in one of the stores, said that another woman had rushed into their store to tell them about the robbery.
"We immediately closed and as I closed the one door I heard one gunshot. We were closed for about 10 minutes before we went out to ask what's going on. We were told to stay closed until the police tell us to open because there was still one perpetrator in the centre that they were looking for. Another one got shot and a police got shot from what I heard," said Van Neel.
Another witness, Steven Mitchley, says he was at nearby restaurant when the drama unfolded.
"A lot of people inside the shops were locked inside. A lot of people were in shock. An old lady had to be transported to hospital via the medics. Thereafter once everyone was released (from the closed shops) they started opening up the area again," he said.
