Cash van robbers strike again – one is shot dead

One robber died in a shootout with police in yet another cash-in-transit heist along the R71 road near Tzaneen, Limpopo police said yesterday.

The G4 Security van was accosted by the armed men travelling in two cars on Tuesday evening. “The suspects started firing at the tyres of the security vehicle and after it came to a halt, they ordered the three security officers out at gunpoint before blasting it with explosives. “The suspects then fled the scene after taking an undisclosed amount of money,” said police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe.

“The police were called and within minutes the vehicles were spotted. A car chase ensued along the Hoedspruit and Lydenburg roads. Members of a nearby Farm Watch joined and assisted in blocking the route.”

One of the vehicles with five people in it was cornered and a shoot-out ensued. One of the robbers was shot dead and three, aged between 25 and 43, were arrested. The fifth fled on foot. Ngoepe said the three arrested and the deceased were from Burgersfort outside Tzaneen, Hazyview and Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga. “'The second vehicle was cornered next to Strydom Tunnel and after a shoot-out with police, the suspects abandoned it and fled on foot. The police managed to arrest one of them and the others are still being pursued. The arrested suspects are likely to be linked to other cash-in-transit heists committed in Limpopo and Mpumalanga.”

Police confiscated police and army bullet-proof vests, rifles including two AK-47s, two bags of cash, two-way radios and a Mercedes-Benz and an Audi.

The men will appear in the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court soon.

Ordered the security officers out at gunpoint