Two police officers, seven robbers killed during an attempted CIT heist

Two police officers and seven suspects were shot and killed during a brazen attack on a cash-in-transit (CIT) vehicle in the Hlabisa area of KwaZulu-Natal on Friday night. A female police officer was also wounded in the attack, police said in a statement.

SAPS Special Task Force (STF) and Crime Intelligence (CI) were following up on information that a CIT vehicle was going to be attacked. Heavily armed suspects attacked the security vehicle and used explosives to access the money the vehicle was transporting.

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SAPS responded and a shootout ensued. The seven suspects were killed, as well as a member from both the STF and CI.

Four AK-47 assault rifles were recovered, as well as a BMW that suspects used during other robberies, including a recent incident at a Shell garage in KwaZulu-Natal.

National Commissioner General Khehla John Sitole conveyed his deepest condolences to families of the fallen police officers, and wished the wounded member a speedy recovery.

“This is yet another sad day for both the South African Police Service as well as South Africa at large for every time the life of a police officer is lost in combat, the nation mourns”, said General Khehla Sitole.

“I offer my highest praise to the all our colleagues that have once again put their lives on the line to bring hardened and selfish criminals to book”, added General Sitole.

(Compiled by Nica Schreuder)

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