Cash-in-transit heist suspects sought

Police are looking for seven heavily armed suspects following their bloody shoot-out yesterday with security officers during an attempted cash-intransit heist in Randburg.

Police are on a manhunt for seven heavily armed suspects following a bloody shoot-out in broad daylight with security officers during an attempted cash-intransit heist in Randburg.

The attempted heist yesterday left onlookers traumatised and in shock after they witnessed the shootout outside MultiChoice’s offices in the Randburg CBD.

“Shots were fired between the two parties, leaving one suspect in his 30s with fatal injuries,” said Netcare marketing and communications officer Tebogo Magoro.

An eyewitness who works nearby said she feared for her safety.

“I was so scared. More than 15 shots were fired,” said Refilwe Mofokeng.

Another eyewitness confirmed that a Toyota Fortuner, a white BMW, a white VW caddy and a white Ford Fiesta STI were all involved.

Shawn Gerhardus Greyling, who drove past the scene shortly after the incident, said several roads had been closed to traffic.

“It looked as though the Ford Fiesta STI had clipped a grey Toyota Corolla. Both cars were left vacant on the scene. Oak Avenue, towards Republic Road, as well as George Street were closed off,” he said.

Police arrived at the scene after 10am and recovered multiple illegal firearms, Captain Mavela Masondo said.

“We recovered three high calibre firearms, two magazines with live ammunition and three vehicles suspected to have been used in the commission of the crime,” he said.

Paramedics responded to the scene at 10.29am and found a heavy police presence on sight.

“Law enforcement officers surrounded the area and a helicopter was overhead searching for suspects,” said Magoro.

The alleged robbers left the deceased suspect in the car, hijacked another car and immediately fled the scene.

“The driver of the hijacked vehicle was female and thankfully she was not injured,” said Masondo.

He said another vehicle was recovered in Honeydew and was believed to have been hijacked and later abandoned by the suspects after the robbery.

He warned that the suspects are still at large, heavily armed and dangerous.