Three suspects this afternoon carried out a cash-in-transit heist at a filling station in the busy Walter Sisulu Street in Middelburg.

According to information gathered at the scene, an unmarked armored vehicle’s occupants were doing a cash collection at the Engen Garage when the robbers descended on them.

Two armed men stole the bags of cash while the third was waiting in the getaway vehicle.

Nobody was injured in the robbery but it was confirmed that an ink pellet in one of the money bags exploded, rendering the cash useless.

The suspects then fled in a white Nissan Almera resulting in a pursuit led by local tow truck driver David Ross.

Ross explains the pursuit continued down Cowen Ntuli Street in Gholfsig, where the robbers turned towards Mhluzi in Totius Street. They fled back towards town in Dr Beyers Naudé Drive before turning left in West Street, right in Ngwako Street, but he eventually lost track of them in OR Tambo Street.

Members of the SAPS, Mid Alarms and Titon Security all responded to the scene, and an investigation is underway.

The manager of the filling station declined to comment.

Getaway vehicle found abandoned

Middelburg Observer were just before 16:00 reliably informed that the getaway vehicle – a white Nissan Almera – used by the three robbers, was found burnt out in Tokologo, Mhluzi.

The CIT heist took place at around 13:00, and the three suspects involved are at large after successfully fleeing the scene.