Four armed men have robbed the American Swiss shop in Beyers Steeg in Stellenbosch, Western Cape police said on Thursday.

Captain Rene Matthee said the manageress, her son and a client were overpowered and tied up with telephone cables in a back room of the shop around 9.30am on Thursday.

While two men kept an eye on them, two others threw jewellery, watches and cellphones into black bags. A Telkom official entered the shop to fix the telephone, but was asked to hand over his cellphone at gunpoint. The same happened when two schoolgirls entered the shop.

When the robbers left the Telkom employee went to phone the police from the shop next door. A municipal security guard was also told and gave a description of the robbers to other guards.

Another security guard came across three men dividing the watches and jewellery amongst themselves and gave chase. One of the men was caught while he was about to climb into a taxi and trying to hide a firearm.

Matthee said the man, aged 26, from Delft was handed to police and expected to appear in a local court soon.

Jewellery, watches, cellphones, perfume and American Swiss account cards were seized and handed to the police.