Parliamentary committee on police to hold special meeting on cash-in-transit heists

The Portfolio Committee on Police will on Wednesday, 13 June, have a special hearing on the recent spate of cash-in-transit heists.

The announcement by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Francois Beukman, follows the latest incident in Boksburg on Thursday where a group of heavily armed robbers blew up two cash-in-transit vans.

READ MORE: WATCH: Hectic new video footage of Boksburg cash-in-transit heist

Beukman said that it is unacceptable that cash-in-transit heists are becoming a norm in South Africa.

“These acts of criminality, undertaken using high calibre rifles, must be condemned at all times and society must work with law enforcement agencies to effectively deal with the matter. SAPS management must also strengthen the Crime Intelligence and Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation units to deal with the upsurge from various angles,” the chairperson of the committee said in a statement.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Shootout on M2 after cash-in-transit heist in Ekurhuleni

Beukman added that the matter was raised with the national police management at a committee meeting on Wednesday.

“The Portfolio committee believes that police management should implement short- to medium-term measures to deal with the current crime trend. The cash-in-transit companies must also work hand in glove with SAPS to come up with strategies to effectively deal with the matter.

“Despite this, the committee welcomes the swift arrest of the perpetrators of the Boksburg heists. They must be successfully prosecuted and they must receive lengthy sentences in order to use them as examples that lawlessness will never be allowed to reign supreme,”  Beukman said.

He said the committee will also invite major private security companies, Business Against Crime, South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric), Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority and the Private Security Association to the meeting.

“All role players should ensure that coordination and cooperation is increased to deal with this crime trend,” committee chairperson said.

ALSO READ: Cash-in-transit heist on Ontdekkers Road

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