Durban — Four cash-in-transit heist-related incidents have rocked Durban between Monday and Thursday this week.
In three incidents, police responded to reports of cash-in-transit heists while in one incident, a suspect was arrested for possession of explosives used in cash-in-transit heists.
In the latest incident, KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said, a police captain survived a hail of bullets after finding himself under heavy gunfire from cash-in-transit robbers on the N2 northbound before the KwaMashu off-ramp on Thursday morning.
Netshiunda said an unknown number of suspects, who were travelling in multiple vehicles and targeting a cash delivery truck, without any notice opened fire at the police officer’s unmarked bakkie which he was driving behind the money vehicle.
“The police officer, who was on his way to an early operation in Inanda, and wearing his protective gear, tactically returned fire, found his way out of the vehicle and took cover. The officer also managed to stop other motorists who could have become unsuspecting victims of the brazen criminals who went on to blow the truck open and made off with an undisclosed amount of money.
“Cash-in-transit security guards were left unharmed although they were robbed of their three firearms, one of which was a rifle,” Netshiunda said.
He urged anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the suspects to contact the nearest police station or call the Crime Stop number, 08600 10111.
ALS Paramedics Medical Services spokesperson Garrith Jamieson added the service received multiple calls about the incident.
He said paramedics continued in the direction of the incident and waited on the all-clear from police before making their way onto the scene.
“Paramedics assessed the occupants of the cash vehicle. Fortunately, they were not injured during the robbery,” Jamieson said.
In another incident on Tuesday, Hawks officers from Durban’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit working together with the Special Task Force, Crime Intelligence and the Explosives Unit arrested a 39-year-old suspect for possession of explosives at KwaDabeka township in Durban.
KZN Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said police received information about a suspect who was in possession of explosives used for cash-in-transit heists.
Mhlongo said a joint operation was conducted and in the early hours of Wednesday morning police proceeded to a house.
“A search was conducted. During the search nine sticks of explosives, four detonators, and 39 live rounds of ammunition were found,” Mhlongo said.
The suspect was arrested and charged. He appeared in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
“He was remanded in custody and will reappear in the same court on June 11,” Mhlongo said.
In the third incident, Netshiunda said, two suspected cash-in-transit robbers were shot and killed when they started a gunfight with police in Phoenix in the early hours of Tuesday.
He said the police’s multidisciplinary team involving officers from the Hawks, the Provincial Tracking and Tracing Team, the Tactical Response Team (TRT) and K9 Unit were searching for the suspects who had committed a cash-in-transit robbery in Kranskop on Monday afternoon.
Following an extensive search throughout the night, the suspects were spotted at Bhamshela in oThongathi early on Tuesday and having defied the police’s instruction to stop, a high-speed chase ensued. The suspects’ vehicle crashed into a lamp pole along the Phoenix Highway. The suspects got out of the vehicle and began firing at police.
“A shootout ensued and two suspects were fatally shot, one next to the vehicle whereas the other was shot inside a residence where he had run into as he continued shooting at the police. Three rifles and a pistol, several rounds of ammunition as well as an undisclosed amount of money were found in possession of the suspects,” Netshiunda said.
“One suspect was later arrested after he was located at a block of flats with gunshot wounds. The search for the other suspects is under way with police following blood stains into the bushes.
“Nearby hospitals and medical centres have been informed about the shootout and that they should report any patient with suspected gunshot wounds to the police.”
Netshiunda said police officers were unharmed but the suspects sprayed a police van with bullets.
He added that anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the suspects who escaped should contact the nearest police station or call the Crime Stop number.
In the fourth incident, armed suspects allegedly attempted to rob a cash delivery truck at the corner of Bertha Mkhize and Joe Slovo streets in Durban on Monday.
Netshiunda said a cash-protection device succeeded in protecting the money and the matter was reported to the Hawks KZN for further investigation.
“It is reported that on Monday cash delivery security guards had just collected money from a store when they were ambushed by the suspects who fired shots at them.
“A security guard sustained a gunshot wound to the upper arm and was taken to hospital for medical attention. The suspects failed to gain access to the money and fled the scene,” Netshiunda said.
Jamieson said ALS Paramedics responded to the incident where they found police, metro police and SAPS Search and Rescue officers and were shown to the injured guard lying on the pavement next to his vehicle.
“Paramedics assessed the man and found that he had sustained a serious gunshot wound to his upper body. He was stabilised on the scene by advanced life support paramedics before being rushed to a nearby hospital for the further care that he required,” Jamieson said.
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