Close escape for motorists
A Ventersdorp couple had a close encounter when a cash-in-transit robbery near Carletonville damaged their bakkie last week.
The incident happened on the R500 between the R47 turn-off to Randfontein and the N14 at approximately 17:20 on Tuesday, 11 July.
A G4S cash-in-transit van was returning to its home base in Krugersdorp from Carletonville. Just after Cluster Sand, the driver noticed a dark Mercedes-Benz and a black VW Polo behind him.
Soon afterwards, men in the two vehicles started shooting at the van. Although the driver initially tried to keep going, he eventually had to pull off the road about 600 metres from the N14 after the suspects had shot both back wheels, and they deflated. Six of the eight assailants jumped out of the vehicles. They ran to the van and forced the driver and crew out. The thugs made them get down on the ground and took their firearms before blowing the van up. They then grabbed whatever money they could when one of the safes failed to open. While the thugs were shooting at the guards, the Ventersdorp couple accidentally drove into the scene. Although some bullets also hit their Ford Ranger bakkie, the couple escaped unscathed.
When the newspaper went to print, the assailants were still at large.
