Since the announcement of the stabilisation operation to curb cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies, two robberies have been foiled and suspects arrested.
The operation was announced on Monday by Police Minister Bheki Cele and the National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla John Sitole.
“On Monday night a CIT vehicle was attacked on the R511 near Meyerton. Members from the South African Police Service (SAPS) Special Task Force and the National Intervention Unit, acting on intelligence, responded and arrested three suspects and recovered a vehicle after the robbery. No money was taken,” the SAPS said in a statement on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, at about 6pm a CIT vehicle was attacked at Letsitele area in Tzaneen. The suspects took firearms and cash and fled in two vehicle.
Five suspects were cornered resulting in a shootout which left one suspect dead, three critically wounded and the fifth arrested.
“A white Mercedes Benz, black Audi, cash, firearms as well as a SAPS bullet proof vest were recovered. We have already established through preliminary investigations how the suspects may have come to be in possession of SAPS vest and this will be followed up accordingly,” the SAPS said.
Some of the suspects are from the areas of Hazyview, Burgersdorp and Stuurpoort.
Police are still tracking the remaining suspects and it is a matter of time before further arrests are likely to be effected.
"I want our response to these two incidents of CIT robberies to serve as a reminder to potential robbers that their chances of success in executing these crimes will be zero.
"We may not have revealed too much details of our Activation Plans to effectively deal with this crime scourge but criminals can rest assured that our plans are there to ensure that they will have absolutely no space to manoeuvre,” General Sitole said. – SAnews.gov.za
