Cash-in-transit heist near Bushbuckridge leaves guard injured

A group of about 10 armed suspects attacked a cash van near Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga and robbed the four guards of an undisclosed amount of cash and their firearms on Friday morning.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala said the incident happened at 7am when the security guards who were driving in a cash van belonging to Fidelity Security along the R40 Road in Dwarsloop were attacked.

A white Mercedes-Benz sedan driven by the suspects collided head-on with the cash van causing the van to overturn.

“A group of armed suspects emerged to join the ones in the sedan then allegedly went on and overpowered as well as disarmed the security guards, taking their three rifles together with one handgun.

“Thereafter they reportedly detonated some explosives ... and took bags containing undisclosed amount of cash from the van,” Mohlala said.

After  taking the cash, the suspects  torched the Mercedes-Benz which they were driving and fled the scene in a white bakkie.

A guard who was injured in the incident was taken to hospital for medical treatment. No arrests have been made yet.

Mpumalanga police commissioner Lt-Gen Semakaleng Manamela called for the swift arrest of the suspects.

“We have confidence in the capabilities of our members that are investigating this incident and it is just a matter of time before they make a breakthrough.

“We hope that members of the public can understand the negative economic implications of such robberies and hopefully as often, they will share such valuable information which can help investigators to swiftly bring perpetrators to book,” Manamela said.

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.