Bystander, guards shot in cash-in-transit robbery
A BYSTANDER was caught in the crossfire when security guards and robbers exchanged fire during a cash-in transit robbery on Voortrekker Road in Parow yesterday.
Two security guards were wounded and rushed to hospital.
The police have launched a manhunt after the robbers fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.
An eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity said one of the robbers came from the line of people queueing at Net1 Financial Services.
“Net1 Financial Services gives out loans to South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) people today (yesterday). A guy who was standing in the queue moved closer when the first cash van pulled in. There was another car that arrived that was involved in the robbery. It blocked the cash van so it could not move. Shots were then fired,” he said.
The suspects fled in a getaway car. There have been no arrests.
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said: “Cash-in-transit security officers came under fire when they were ambushed by two suspects in Voortrekker Road, Parow. Several shots were fired by the suspects, and in the process a female pedestrian was wounded. The suspects fled with an undisclosed amount of cash and have yet to be arrested.”
The incident came a day after police arrested four armed men following an attempted robbery at a liquor store in Browns Farm Philippi on Monday.
Three constables, aged 26, 32 and 44, and a security guard were shot and wounded in the hour-long shoot-out. They are recovering in hospital.
Police say members of the Special Task Force were summoned to the scene to flush the armed suspects out of hiding.
Anyone with information about the robbery of the cash-in-transit vehicle is asked to contact Crime Stop at 086 001 011 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.