A police officer was shot and injured after giving chase to a band of armoured vehicle robbers. Police estimate that about 10 robbers descended upon a G4s armoured vehicle with automatic weapons on July 13 at about 21:00.
Apparently the armoured vehicle was returning to the G4s compound in Gordon Street, when a silver Mercedes Benz rammed into the cash-in-transit vehicle a mere 100 meters before the entrance to the compound. About 10 heavily armed men then overwhelmed the guards and the driver. They forced them out of the vehicle and told them to lie flat on the ground while the robbers planted explosives on the near door and blew the door off.
So early in the evening the road was not as quite as it would have been in the dead of night and several vehicles were shot at during the heist, however no bystanders or drivers were injured. “When I heard the gunshots we ran inside, there were many gunshots,” said a rattled employee of the petrol station across the road from where the heist took place. Later the SAPS with the help of the Community Policing Forum (CPF) and Witbank 911 blocked off the road and searched the dimly lit area for bullet casings and other evidence scattered across the scene.
The robbers only took a few minutes to get the undisclosed amount of money into other escape vehicles and headed towards the old Ogies Road. Members of the Witbank SAPS visual police department tracked the vehicle down and gave chase. About 10 kilometres outside of eMalahleni the robbers started shooting at the police while being chased and one of the police officers was hit. They broke off the case and took the injured officer to hospital. He was booked into ICU as he was shot twice in both legs. One of the bullets was lodged in his pelvis and he was sent in for surgery on July 14 to remove it. The officer is apparently stable and making a recovery.
“We will work around the clock to find the perpetrators,” assured Witbank SAPS station commander Brig Cele. He would also like to recognise the officers that responded to the scene as it always takes a level of bravery to do the job of an SAPS officer.
A spokesperson for G4S gave some good news, “Year on year, there has been a decrease in the number of cash-in-transit attacks in South Africa as a result of the implementation of secure technology and tried and tested operational procedures.” Regarding the question as to whether or not the community should be concerned about the recent attack.
The case has been sent to the organised Crime investigation unit in Middelburg and the SAPS urges anyone who might have information regarding the heist to report it anonymously to Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
To listen to the recording of the shots fired, click here.
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