Durban — Mpumalanga police are investigating cases of murder and attempted armed robbery after a failed cash-in-transit (CIT) heist between Barberton and Badplaas on Saturday evening.
National police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Netshiunda said a cash delivery truck and an escort vehicle were accosted by an unknown number of suspects along the R38 route, leading to a collision between the suspects' vehicles, the cash truck and its escort vehicle.
“Both the driver of the armoured vehicle and his crew member were injured during the impact and were rushed to hospital in a serious condition. The crew member later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The suspects failed to steal the cash,” Netshiunda said.
“Police recovered two vehicles suspected to have been used as getaway vehicles by the suspects.”
“Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the recovered vehicles, a silver Mercedes-Benz, was reported hijacked in Calcutta in May this year,” Netshiunda added.
He called on anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the suspects to contact the nearest police or call the crime stop number 08600 10111. Alternatively, they can tip off the police anonymously through the MySAPS App.
Midlands EMS Barberton crews responded to the scene of the incident.
It said that according to bystanders, a CIT team was robbed by an armed gang. The gang smashed into the support van accompanying the CIT truck and then burnt their own car together with the security vehicle.
They then climbed into another vehicle and followed the CIT truck that was allegedly carrying money for a further 2.4km and shot at the truck until the truck overturned.
They then robbed the truck and set their vehicle alight again and left in another vehicle that was provided for them. Gunfire was exchanged but there was no confirmation of the suspects being shot.
“All the employees from the first scene have been stabilised and transported to a nearby facility, and the employees from the second scene have been stabilised by another private service as well as provincial services,” Midlands EMS said.
Daily News