Three More Cash-In-Transit Heists – As Hits Continue Unabated

Vans in Free State and Eastern Cape were targeted on Tuesday night.
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A cash-in-transit heist in Hazyview.
News24

As the number of cash-in-transit heists continues to rise, three more trucks were hit by robbers on Tuesday evening, TimesLive reported. Two G4S trucks were reportedly hit on the N8 between Bloemfontein and Botshabelo in Free State, while a Fidelity truck was targeted and bombed on the N2 close to Mthatha in Eastern Cape.

Fidelity CEO Wahl Bartmann told TimesLive that the truck was bombed at about 7.30pm. Two vehicles stopped the truck before firing at it. Bartmann said it looked like they tried to bomb the vehicle twice.

"The truck was shot to bits," he said. No money was stolen.

Meanwhile, in Free State, the tyres of the two vehicles travelling together, were shot out. Explosives were reportedly placed on both vehicles but they did not detonate, and the robbers were unable to access the vans.

The report said both drivers were shot in the leg, and their guns were taken.

On Monday, there was a cash-in-transit heist in Hammanskraal, according to Eyewitness News. A van was led to a business premises before the guards were robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash.

This follows an attempted cash-in-transit heist in Pretoria, which was foiled when "tight security interventions" stopped the robbers. Police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo told News24 that the incident happened at about 6pm last Thursday.

Two weeks ago, six people were arrested and one police officer died during a cash-in-transit heist in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.

According to IOL, an unknown number of suspects approached a parked van and opened fire, fleeing the scene with an undisclosed amount of money. A shoot-out ensued during which the officer died.

At the time, there had been 159 cash-in-transit heists in 2018, according to the South African Banking Risk Information Centre.