A man is on trial for allegedly breaking into the Shimansky store at the V&A Waterfront and stealing jewels worth R1.6m.
|||Cape Town - A Joburg man is on trial in the Cape Town Regional Court for allegedly breaking into the Shimansky store at the V&A Waterfront and stealing jewels worth R1.6 million.
Jason van Antwerpen, 33, is alleged to have donned a mask and entered the store via the roof on May 13, 2010, and got away with the jewels.
It is further alleged that Van Antwerpen, armed with a gas gun, hit two staff during the heist.
He had allegedly bought the gun at a shop at the Waterfront the previous month.
The value of the jewels, according to the charge sheet is R1 641 744.75. They have not yet been recovered.
Van Antwerpen, a civil engineer, was arrested on July 13, 2010, after handing himself over to police. His sister got wind that police were looking for him and notified lawyer William Booth. Booth advised him to hand himself over.
During Van Antwerpen’s first appearance on July 14, prosecutor Ann Hess opposed bail, describing the crime as serious.
But Booth argued that the seriousness of the crime was not a reason to oppose bail. He said Van Antwerpen was a shareholder in many companies and had property in Cape Town and Johannesburg. He had handed his passport in and was not a flight risk.
In his affidavit asking for bail, Van Antwerpen said he supported his mother, who lives in Diep River.
“I earn a salary of R100 000 but my liquidity assets amount to R25m.”
Apart from the properties, Van Antwerpen owns a yacht valued at R1.8m.
He was later released on R100 000 bail. As part of his bail conditions Van Antwerpen is prohibited from entering the Waterfront, the airport and harbour until the end of the case. He also has to report to the Douglasdale police station every Monday.
Van Antwerpen is due back in court on November 23.
jade.witten@inl.co.za
Cape Argus