Boots on the ground

PODCAST | A war is raging: cash-in-transit heists escalate

19 October 2020 - 14:39 By Graeme Hosken and Paige Muller
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Attacks on cash-in-transit vehicles have increased since the easing of the country's lockdown.
Attacks on cash-in-transit vehicles have increased since the easing of the country's lockdown.
Image: @emergancy_task via Twitter

SA’s cash-in-transit (CIT) heist season has struck early, with armed gangs launching waves of deadly attacks which have already left 24 people dead and dozens injured this year.

Criminologists and CIT companies say the easing of lockdown regulations is driving the surge, which began in August, two months ahead of the annual November heist peak.

Despite the lockdown, SA Banking Risk Information Centre data shows a 29% increase in cash van attacks between 2019 and 2020.

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Cash-in-transit security officers risk their lives carrying millions of rand on a daily basis. Despite a nationwide lockdown, SA Banking Risk Information Centre stats show a 34% increase in attacks on cash-in-transit trucks in 2020 compared with 2019.


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