More Boksburg robbery arrests

POLICE have arrested three more suspects, in their hunt for the Boksburg cash-in-transit heist gang, bringing the total number apprehended to eight. Ofentse Morwane, the spokesman for the MEC for Community Safety Sizakele NkosiMalobane, said last night that the men had been arrested yesterday.

“Now we are looking for two more,” he said. The first five suspects were caught shortly after the gang blew up two cash-in-transit vans and became involved in a massive shoot-out with security personnel. Police, working with Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni Metro police chased the suspects along the N1 and M2 highways to the George Goch hostel, in Denver where a second shoot-out ensued. Three suspects were injured and police seized firearms, ammunition and getaway vehicles.

“The Hawks are continuing the manhunt, with crime intelligence,” said the Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mulamu.

Morwane said that law enforcement had to come up with a strategy to deal with cash-in-transit robberies. “We need to move away from being (reactive),” he said.

Nkosi-Malobane said that an integrated policing plan was needed that ensured that the various law enforcement agencies worked together to deal with this crime.

“I am impressed with the work of the Gauteng Law Enforcement Agencies Forum in co-ordinating and strengthening integration of provincial law enforcement agencies to intercept and promptly respond to incidents such as these.”