Heist kingpin arrested

The man whose arrest “would end it all” as far as cash-in-transit heists are concerned has been cornered in Bloemfontein after evading the cops for years.

Wellington Bibi Cenenda, the alleged mastermind and kingpin behind a spate of cash-in-transit heists, has been arrested.

Gauteng Hawks boss Major-General Prince Mokotedi had earlier been quoted by a Sunday newspaper as saying they had identified Cenenda as the kingpin responsible for heists around Gauteng, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

He told the paper the arrest of the kingpin, aged 38, would “end it all”.

The Times reported Cenenda had slipped away from the police during raids in Tembisa and Gauteng, and another on a Tzaneen safehouse in Limpopo.

Of the attacks by Cenenda’s gang, the Boksburg heist on Atlas Road earlier this month was one of the more notable ones.

Cenenda was arrested in a crime intelligence-driven operation in Bloemfontein on Thursday, assisted by local tactical response team members, according to a statement by the South African Police Service (Saps).

He was wanted by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) for alleged murder, attempted murder, possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of explosives and possession of suspected stolen property.

Saps says Cenenda was wanted for a 2016 case where he and his accomplices were involved in a shoot-out with the police.

“A 12-member group was conspiring to commit a cash-in-transit robbery in Mpumalanga. Police received information about a planned cash heist along the Delmas road and a swift operation involving the Hawks, Crime Intelligence and the Task Force was planned,” said Saps.

Cenenda appeared briefly at the Delmas High Court and will be joining his other alleged accomplices on August 20.

Further investigations to link him to other cases continue.

Minister of Police Bheki Cele has hailed the arrest of Cenenda as a major stepping stone in stamping the authority of the law in South Africa.

“We will, as Saps, continue to ensure we put a permanent stop to the scourge of cash in transit crime.

“It is our responsibility and mission to protect and secure the inhabitants of the republic and their property and ensure criminals are brought to justice,” Cele said. – Citizen reporter

We will, as Saps, continue to ensure we put a permanent stop to the scourge of cash-in-transit crime. Bheki Cele Minister of police