Armed robbers attack Fidelity cash facility in Pretoria, make off with cash

A group of armed robbers have made off with “a limited amount” of money after attacking a Fidelity cash facility in Hermanstad, Pretoria in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The robbers made off with “a limited amount of cash”, though reports suggest the amount was R30 million.

CEO of Fidelity Services Group Walt Bartmann confirmed the incident in a statement and said the suspects injured two officers.

“They were able to access the vaulting area. We are currently reviewing all our video footage with our specialised intervention units and the South African Police Services.”

“A group of armed men, dressed in what appeared to [be Fidelity] uniform and balaclavas, entered the premises and held the guards at gunpoint and assaulted some employees before robbing them of an undisclosed amount of money,” according to national police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo.

National police commissioner General Khehla John Sitole has ordered that a 72-hour activation plan be mobilised.

Hartmann said business would continue as usual on Saturday and further appealed to anyone with information to contact Fidelity or their nearest police station.

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“Various disciplines from the South African Police Service, including Crime Intelligence and forensic experts, as well as the Hawks, which form part of the activation plan, are currently at the crime scene conducting preliminary investigations,” said Naidoo.

In another incident this month, four armed suspects disarmed a Fidelity crewman who was collecting a cash consignment from Pick n Pay in Nelspruit and took the cash consignment.

Bartmann said the Fidelity driver who witnessed the incident gave chase as the suspects attempted to flee in a white polo.

“One of the suspects in the panic, did not manage to get in the getaway vehicle and fled on foot with the cash consignment. He tried to hide the consignment in nearby bushes but this was later retrieved,” he said.

“No injuries were sustained to Fidelity staff members but unfortunately a member of the public was wounded in the shootout from one of the suspects bullets.

Bartmann says he believes the injured passer-by fortunately only sustained minor injuries in the cross fire. The only loss sustained was the theft of a firearm. All the cash was recovered.

“We are definitely continuing to see spike in cash in transit incidents and we would once again like to remind shoppers to please be especially vigilant when they are close to any of our cash vans,” said Bartmann.

Additional reporting by News24 Wire

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