CRIME STATS | Cele hails ‘specialised teams’ as CIT heists decrease

It seems the Christmas period was less festive for cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery suspects as police recorded 11 fewer heists between October and December 2023 compared with the same period in 2022.

Maj-Gen Norman Sekhukhune, with police minister Bheki Cele and national commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola, released the statistics at a briefing in Pretoria on Friday. 

He said “trio” crimes — carjackings, house robberies and business robberies — had increased by 311 (1.8%) to 17,158 from 16,847 in the same period in 2022.

While bank robberies increased by only one count, CIT heists dropped by 11 to 46 (from 57), while truck hijacking dropped by 2.4% to 480 (from 492).

However, in the overall aggravated robbery subcategory, robbery at residential premises and carjacking went up by 1.7% and 6.5% respectively. The first increased by 104 to 6,360 (from 6,256 during the same period in 2022) while carjacking increased by 365 to 5,973 (from 5,608).

Robbery at non-residential premises decreased by 158.

Cele hailed the placement of “specialised teams”, saying they were “yielding results in ensuring we see a reduction in the number of CIT armed robberies”.

“In the past year, more than 75 wanted CIT suspects have been arrested during takedown operations.

“High-calibre firearms, including rifles and AK47s, as well as high-performance vehicles used in the commission of these crimes, were seized.”

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