Police curb cash heists
Intervention led to a 36% reduction in the crime over past eight months, says Cele
A NATIONAL intervention plan had led to a 36% decrease in cash-in-transit heists, said Police Minister Bheki Cele.
Speaking at a briefing in Pretoria, he said between April 1 and November 4, 118 cash-in-transit heists had been recorded in the nine provinces.
“If we compare the figure to the same period last year, when 184 cases were recorded, it is a reduction of 36%. During the latter period we have seen a significantly higher number of culprits being arrested than in the former period,” Cele said.
Over the past eight months the intervention plan had led to 237 arrests, the recovery of 92 vehicles, the seizure of 78 firearms and 1 402 rounds of ammunition, and the recovery of a substantial amount of money. Cele said through the intervention processes high-profile criminals had been arrested and a continued police presence had led to the displacement of crime from “priority provinces” towards the predominantly rural parts of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and the Western Cape.
The intervention plan had been initiated to curb “serious and violent crime”. The plan included mobilising officers to increase visible policing and reactivating cold cases, Cele said.
During the briefing, Cele applauded the efforts of the crime intelligence division under the leadership of Lieutenant-General Peter Jacobs. The unit had done ”sterling” work together with multi-disciplinary teams that sourced information on the ground, enabling the interception of cash-in-transit robbers while they were planning heists.
Spokesperson for the SA Banking Risk Information Centre, Louise van der Merwe, said the organisation and companies that transported money were working with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) to reduce crime. “A number of initiatives are under way, and while we understand that the situation cannot be resolved overnight, we are seeing the results of our efforts,” she said.
Previously, most crimes had been committed in the rural areas of Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and Gauteng. “More recently, (more) attacks are being committed in the Eastern Cape and Northern KwaZulu-Natal,” she said.