At approximately 09:00 on Friday, a cash-in-transit robbery took place just outside Westonaria. The robbers forced the van off the road and the driver and his two colleagues out of the vehicle before blowing the vehicle up. They then grabbed most of the money and raced away.
A member of the public took a video, showing motorists jumping out of their cars to grab some of the cash lying around on the scene.
Although this was outside the Carletonville police precinct, the Carletonville police were immediately notified as eyewitnesses saw some of the about 15 robbers, who struck from four vehicles, fled towards Carletonville.
Two Carletonville detectives, Captain Soon Theron and Sgt Wynand Kruger responded to the alert. While driving on the P111 towards the crime scene, they spotted the robbers’ Ford Ranger bakkie, an Audi A3, a BMW and another vehicle racing towards Carletonville. The detectives immediately turned around and started chasing after the robbers, joined by other police members.
The robbers raced over the train bridge, turned right into Annan Road and sped down the busy street. Captain Isabel Havenga, who was driving in the opposite direction, spotted the Audi and BMW turning right into Reinecke Street and notified her colleagues. Detective constables Tshepiso Montsho, Andrew Phakedi and Nduduzo Dotshe chased after the robbers’ Audi in their Nissan bakkie and continued to follow it as it turned right into Cactus Street.
About halfway up the street, however, the robbers in the Audi slammed on brakes and three jumped out and started firing at the three detectives with AK47 assault rifles. Several bullets hit the bakkie. One of the bullets penetrated the floorboard and hit Monstho in his right foot as he sat in the passenger seat. Another bullet severed wires in the bakkie’s engine.
Realising they had neutralised their followers, the robbers jumped back in the Audi and raced up the street. Theron and Kruger spotted them and their accomplices in the BMW near Geranium Street. They pursued the robbers until they saw the Audi turning into a yard in Geranium Street. The BMW stopped in the street near the yard, but then turned around and raced back down the street. Kruger and Theron jumped out of their car but could not shoot at the BMW because people were gathered on the sidewalk in front of a guest house near the 007 shopping centre. The BMW, which had five occupants armed with AK47’s, raced past them and down the road. The detectives immediately called for backup. Several police officers arrived at the house, searched the yard and found the robbers’ Audi in the garage. Members of the explosives unit determined that it was safe to open the car. Money stolen from the cash-in-transit van, explosives and other goods were found inside. The police also arrested the four men and a woman in the house. They also charged the woman for the possession of drugs after finding bags of dagga in her room.
Various police units, including the national and provincial crime intelligence, K9, highway patrol and the Hawks continued to help with the investigation and soon arrested two more men. Another three were arrested in Krugersdorp.
One suspect is an SANDF member who was out on bail after being arrested for another cash-in-transit heist in Wedela last year. Although a member of the police in Carletonville was also detained in connection with the robbery, he had not been charged by Monday morning. The other 10 suspects appeared in the Oberholzer Magistrates’ Court. None were granted bail. They will again appear in court next Monday.
By Monday, the police were still searching for the man who had rented the large house with a swimming pool where the robbers were arrested. They had been staying at this property for the past seven months.
By Monday, Const Montsho was still in Fountain Private Hospital. His foot was operated on, on Friday and, if all goes according to plan, he will be released from the hospital this week.
