More needed to stop the scourge of in-transit heists

Crime has been and is still a bane of South African life. It is so endemic that it affects the citizens in ways that are traumatic and souldestroying. No matter what the crime the authorities just cannot stop the scourge in a country gripped by poverty and economic hard times at every level of society. Criminals see cash-in-transit heists as an easy way to get their grubby hands on loads of money.

Armed with deadly armoury these gangs would not hesitate to kill anyone who stands in their way. It became such a regular occurrence that lawenforcement authorities employed all measures to get to grips with this criminality.

Crime statistics published in September showed there was a 57% rise in cash-in-transit heists between April 2017 and March 2018, with 238 cases being reported, compared with 152 between April 2016 and March 2017.

The SA Banking Risk Information Centre said in September it had recorded 152 cash-in-transit heists in 2018 alone.

Just when one thought that these heists were being nipped in the bud, the spate of attacks continued this year.

One of the ingenious methods of the robbers was to use angle grinders to cut into the ATMs.

Last year the Hawks in the Eastern Cape announced a breakthrough in tracking down a suspected ATM bombing syndicate nabbing five suspects.

But there was a dramatic drop since 2006 when 467 cases of heists were recorded, after police made a few breakthroughs.

There was a sigh of relief this week when Police Minister Bheki Cele reported that police are cracking down on heists with 237 suspects arrested since April this year.

But there is no time to rest on our laurels as demonstrated by a Capitec ATM being blown up in Mdantsane on Monday, but that was apparently thwarted.

This country and its people need all the protection the law must provide.

With the festive season up ahead many will have extra cash in their pockets and the banks subsequently filling ATMs, there is some degree of dread.

These thugs may not back down, as the summer holidays are fast approaching. We should all be on full alert.

Criminals see in-transit heists as an easy way to get their grubby hands on loads of money