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At midday today, three perpetrators, brandishing hammers and bats, stormed into Official Berwick Jewellers located on High Street in Berwick.
The masked burglars, clad in black hoods and hi-visibility shirts, shattered glass display cases and quickly filled their bags with jewelry, while a terrified female shopkeeper could only watch.
“I was seated behind the counter when suddenly three individuals burst in and began smashing all the windows,” recounted shop attendant Basima Goga.
“They grabbed some items, and although we attempted to defend ourselves, it was incredibly frightening,” she added.
In an effort to stop the chaos, a male shopkeeper confronted the intruders, attempting to force them out, but was assaulted during the ordeal.
The trio raced out of the store when the male shopkeeper picked up a wrench and ran towards them.
The three males fled the scene in a waiting Toyota Kluger driven by a fourth male.
The male shopkeeper, aged in his 50s, was treated at the scene for upper body injuries and taken to hospital in a stable condition.
“For his age, it was bad to be honest. It was bad because they took him to emergency now to do CT scan for him as hammer into his head and hand,” Goga said.
Police believe the same group then drove across the city to a jewellery store on The Circle in Altona North, where the same stolen Kluger was rammed into the shop’s roller door.
They were unable to gain access to the store and fled empty-handed.
Crime scenes have been set up at each of the shops while detectives investigate.
The thieves remain on the run.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, with CCTV/dashcam footage or any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
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