Brazen cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers blew up a money van in broad daylight in Johannesburg and then escaped with their loot in a luxury SUV and a Porsche.
The vehicles, both worth a hefty sum, were used as getaway cars to carry out the heist in Northriding, Johannesburg, late on Monday afternoon.
National police spokesperson Col Brenda Muridili said guards were collecting cash at a food outlet in Bellairs, Randburg, when they were hijacked by two suspects.
A war is raging: cash-in-transit heists escalate
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The cash van was then driven to Olievenhout Street in Northriding, where it was parked and blown apart with explosives.
In a video of the heist doing the rounds on social media, the gang can be seen loading bags, purportedly filled with cash, into the boot of a black Volvo SUV. The robbers were allegedly wearing Fidelity jackets.
The Porsche Panamera, new, ranges in price from around R1.5m to R3.6m for a top of the range version.
A Volvo XC60, similar to the one in the video, sells new for around R765,000 up to R900,000.
The type of vehicles used by the gang raised eyebrows on social media.
“Where do these tsotsis get these nice getaway vehicles? You would never suspect someone in a Panamera to be a hijacker,” said one commentator.
“These guys use such nice cars. But I guess they have the money," added another.
Anneliese Burgess, author of the book Heist, said the hijacking modus operandi used in this incident was rare.
“This is a very strange incident,” she said.
Burgess, however, said the use of luxury vehicles as getaway cars was not strange.
“Luxury vehicles are often used because they make for good, fast getaway vehicles.”
Fidelity CEO Wahl Bartmann said the company was looking into the matter and investigations were ongoing.
Police said the suspects fled with an undisclosed sum of money. No arrests were made.
