We’re winning the war on CIT heists, say police

In a statement on Friday, the SA Police Service (SAPS) claimed they have drastically reduced incidences of cash-in-transit heist crime since implementing a nationwide operation at the start of June.

The statement said that “more than 40 suspects involved in these crime categories have been arrested” since June 4 and that four of them “rank among the top 20 of identified suspects wanted for similar crimes”.

They added that a “substantial amount of money as well as arms and ammunition have been recovered”.

The police said in their statement that the most notable achievement of their heightened operations was that these robberies “have been reduced significantly by 61% in the month of June 2018 compared to the month of May 2018”.

“In the past week there have been at least five attempted robberies on cash-in-transit vehicles. Two vehicles, one travelling on the N8 highway from Thaba Nchu and the other from Botshabelo to Bloemfontein, were attacked by a group of armed men, which left both drivers shot and wounded in the leg. This was followed by another attempted robbery of a CIT vehicle while travelling towards Umtata.”

Another on Atlas Road in Boksburg had left one suspect dead and a guard injured. The fifth attempt was at an ATM in Dobsonville in Soweto.

“It must be noted that the security interventions both by police and private security is making it nearly impossible for armed robbers to access the cash,” said the police.

Police Minister Bheki Cele added: “The number of arrests is a sign of our commitment to the constitutional mandate to uphold and enforce the law on the scourge of cash in transit robberies that continue to terrorise our people. Nothing must divert or distract our men in blue from creating a safe and secure environment for all people of South Africa and ensure criminals are brought to justice.

“We are serious about turning the tide; we will not rest until we win the war on criminals,” added Cele.

Police commissioner General Khehla John Sitole said: “Security officers are putting their lives on the line on a daily basis to protect the valuable cargo they transport and they must be commended for their efforts.

“We will continue to stamp the authority of the state in our efforts to prevent, combat and investigate crime, and we will do this without any fear or favour.”

Yesterday, members of a multi-disciplinary investigative task team arrested three men in connection with the robbery of a liquor store earlier this week, added the statement.

On Monday, a group of armed men confronted private security officials as they were collecting money inside a liquor store inside Ramotse Section, Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria.

The suspects robbed the guard of an undisclosed amount of cash and fled. There were no reports on any damages or injuries caused during that robbery.

The multi-disciplinary investigative task team comprising of members from Crime Intelligence, seasoned and experienced detectives and specialised tactical teams tracked down the suspects and arrested three of them, aged between 27 and 36.

“We are not ruling out the possibility of more arrests in this case,” added the police, who said this had been just one of many cases of cash-in-transit robberies, attempted cash-in-transit robberies and cross-pavement robberies in which the team had been successful.