ATM bombing suspects in shoot-out with police in Lenasia, one killed

A shoot-out between police and alleged ATM bombers saw a suspect fatally shot in Lenasia, Johannesburg, on Thursday morning.

Maj-Gen Nonkululeko Phokane said the confrontation with the suspects ensued due to a crime intelligence-led operation, with other multidisciplinary forces.

“The suspects were wanted for several ATM bombings and other serious crimes in Gauteng and neighbouring provinces,” she said.

In a brief midday update, Phokane said officers on the scene confirmed one of the suspects had died, not two as initially reported.

Deputy national commissioner for crime detection Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, who went to the scene, confirmed the fatality and said two wounded suspects are in a critical condition in hospital. Two more have been arrested.

Five suspects are on the run.

“Most of them are from Lesotho. We got one from Welkom and one from Lenasia. This is a syndicate group operating countrywide and their focus is ATMs,” Sibiya said.

A security team alerted police that an ATM attack was imminent in Protea South. This was thanks to partnership the police and private companies established, including fuel firms. The metro police were alerted as first responders.

“These people had already plugged their explosives on the ATM,” he disclosed.

The public-private partnership had been established after bombings of 41 ATMs since the beginning of the year, Sibiya added.

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