Disgraceful! SANDF member and police officer among group of 13 CIT robbers arrested

Photo: Twitter

Disgraceful! SANDF member and police officer among group of 13 CIT robbers arrested

Police said a police officer and an SANDF member is part of a group of CIT robbers who were arrested after an attack and shootout on Friday.

Disgraceful! SANDF member and police officer among group of 13 CIT robbers arrested

Photo: Twitter

How shocking and disgraceful is this! A police officer and an SANDF member were part of a group of 13 cash-in-transit robbers who attacked a cash truck on the R501 road near the N12 highway on Friday morning.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE CASH TRUCK WAS ATTACKED?

According to police spokesperson Lt-Col Robert Netshiunda, the group of robbers, aged between 21 and 50 years old, attacked a cash truck and took off with an undisclosed amount of money on the R501 road near the N12 highway on Friday morning.

“Police spotted four getaway vehicles driving at high speed along the R501 before splitting into different directions in Carletonville.

“A shootout ensued between the suspects and the police, which resulted in one officer being injured,” Netshiunda said.

A POLICE OFFICER WAS SHOT AND INJURED IN SHOOTOUT

He said the shootout did not stop the determined police officers from hunting down the group.

“Police continued searching for the vehicle and their meticulous investigation pointed them to an identified premises on Geranium Street in Carletonville where one of the getaway vehicles was found.

“An undisclosed amount of money was found in the vehicle. The subsequent search of the premises led to the arrest of three men and a woman. Further investigation led to the arrest of six more men.”

Lt-Col Robert Netshiunda

Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the getaway vehicles was reportedly hijacked in Elsburg in April 2021.

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THE DETERMINED POLICE TEAM CONTINUED THEIR INVESTIGATIONS

A Toyota Quantum suspected to be one of the getaway vehicles was spotted, and three suspects were arrested in Krugersdorp.

Netshiunda said further investigations led police to a local mechanic where another vehicle, a Hyundai Tuscan, which was also used as a getaway vehicle from the scene of the crime, was found.

“The team then proceeded to Bambatha Street in Kagiso where a drone and a police reflector jacket were found.  

WHAT CHARGES DO THEY FACE?

“The suspects, among them an off duty police officer and a member of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), will appear in court soon on charges of armed robbery, attempted murder of a police officer, possession of a hijacked vehicle, possession of suspected stolen property, possession of explosives and possession of dagga among other charges.”

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) General Khehla Sitole has applauded a multidisciplinary team for their swift response and wished the injured police officer a speedy recovery.

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