Pretoria - A cash in transit robbery was foiled when Fidelity security guards returned fire with the suspects in Mariti, just outside Bushbuckridge, on Thursday.
Hawks spokesperson, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, said the suspects attempted to rob money from their delivery van which had just collected money from its branch and was destined to load the money into ATMs in Bushbuckridge.
“Three vehicles, two Golf VII GTIs, and an Audi over took both the escort vehicle and the money-carrying van at around 5am.
“Since it was still dark, the guards saw the sparks and then realised that they were being shot at. They returned fire and the suspects fled the scene,” said Mulaudzi.
No one was injured and no money was taken.
The police are investigating a case of attempted cash in transit and are appealing to members of the community for information which might lead to the arrest of the suspects.
Kidnapping, hijacking
In a separate incident, Hawks in the province arrested four suspects for kidnapping and a car hijacking.
The incident happened at the weekend.
“A man was allegedly driving his Mini Cooper when two vehicles, one with flashing blue lights, ordered him to stop. Immediately when he pulled over to the side of the road, the suspects pointed a firearm at him, before removing him from his vehicle and locking him in a boot,” said Mulaudzi.
The suspects then drove to the victim’s house at Nkwinyamahembe, in Culcata, where they ransacked the house, taking valuable goods.
The suspects, Mulaudzi said, also made way with R200 000 which the victim had put in the boot of his car.
“With the victim having identified some of the suspects, a manhunt ensued and four suspects were arrested on Thursday.
“Further investigations led the police to a house in Masoyi where two rhino horns were found and one Mozambican national arrested.”
The search for the hijacked vehicle and the other suspects is still underway and more arrests are imminent.
The four suspects, aged between 21 and 31, will appear in court soon, facing charges of hijacking and kidnapping, while the 30-year-old Mozambican national will answer to a charge of possession of rhino horns. – SAnews.gov.za
