With the festive season now in full swing, police are urging shoppers to be more vigilant at malls.
At the weekend, more than 800 people were arrested for various crimes across Gauteng.
A police officer was among those apprehended after allegedly stealing three watches at the Mall of Africa.
In another incident at Maponya Mall, four suspects tried to break into the car of a South African Police Service student, who is among those deployed at shopping centres.
The police's Kay Makhubele says shoppers must ensure the safety of their belongings at all times.
“They must ensure their belongings in their cars are not visible. They should also ensure that their bags are always by their side and not exposing things that can attract criminals.”
In one of the many arrests that took place over the weekend, an elderly couple was hijacked at Monte Casino while taking belongings from the boot of their car but had their car returned after mall security intervened.
Police say shoppers should not hesitate reporting suspicious activities to authorities who have been deployed to shopping centres.
All those apprehended this weekend will be appearing in various provincial courts on Monday.
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