A jewellery store at a shopping complex in Hartbeespoort was robbed on Wednesday morning, North West police said.

Superintendent Lesego Metsi said eight men broke into the store at 5am on Wednesday morning, setting off the alarm.

"When police got to the Sediba Plaza, some of the men waiting in an Audi and a Mercedes Benz opened fire with AK47 rifles. Police retaliated and when those busy looting the store inside realised there was a crossfire, they too came out guns blazing," he said.

They leapt into their cars and sped off, with the police behind them.

"But police lost track of the two cars, only to find the Mercedes Benz abandoned near Broederstroom outside Pretoria at 7am," Metsi said.

In the car, police found some of the stolen jewellery and blood spots.

The value of the jewellery taken was not yet known, but Metsi said the owners of the store indicated that the robbers did not get away with much.

A cellphone provider near the jewellery store was also broken into ,but nothing was taken.

No arrests have been made and police are investigating a case of robbery.

Sapa