Guard and motorist killed, 2 children injured in Bekkersdal CIT heist

A deadly cash-in-transit heist in Bekkersdal claimed the lives of a security guard and a female motorist and left seven people including guards, traffic officers and two minor children wounded.

A gang of armed robbers ambushed the cash van and blew it open with explosives on Tuesday.

The van, with three occupants, had been travelling along Panyapanya Street in Bekkersdal when it came under siege.

National police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili said the cash van was rammed off the road by a vehicle driven by the robbers.

“A group of suspects opened fire at the security vehicle and thereafter forced the driver and crew out. The suspects allegedly used explosives to blow the armoured vehicle.

“During the shooting, a 59-year-old man in the escort vehicle was fatally shot while the driver of the cash van and crew members were also shot and injured. A female motorist near the scene was also shot dead.

“She was travelling with her two minor children who sustained injuries. All the injured were taken to hospital for medical attention. They (robbers) then fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money in two separate vehicles,” said Muridili.

Muridili added that while fleeing the scene in their getaway vehicles, the robbers drove past three traffic officers standing on the side of the road and opened fire on the officers injuring two of them.

The injured officers were also taken to hospital.

“The police’s 72-hour activation plan which entails the mobilisation of all the necessary resources needed to investigate this incident has been implemented by the province.

“We are appealing to anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the suspects to come forward,” Muridili said.

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