CIT heists ‘a thorn in the economy of the country’

The head of the Hawks said yesterday despite the more than 600 arrests in the first quarter of the year by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), cash in transit (CIT) heists remained a thorn in the country’s economy.

Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya said he could not confirm if the kingpin of the CIT operation was one of the 19 killed in the shootout in Limpopo recently. Lebeya said he could not disclose more because it was still under investigation.

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“Those who were found in the first house did not survive. This means we will be investigating who was the kingpin on our own,” he said.

“CIT heists continue to be a thorn in the economy of the country.”

Lebeya said the Hawks collaborated with private organisations such as the Cash-In-Transit Association of South Africa to beef up the fight against these crimes.

“For the period under review, 27 arrests were made for CIT robberies while there were six convictions with combined sentences totalling 121 years,” he said.

Lebeya said the Hawks arrested 611 suspects who appeared in court during the first quarter of the 2023-24 financial year. Of those who appeared in court, 229 were convicted and sentenced.

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“Most of the arrests relate to fraud, which accounts for 203 suspects, while money laundering amassed 48 suspects and 72 suspects were arrested for narcotics and endangered species.

“The remaining 288 suspects were arrested for the 17 types of national priority crimes,” he added.