Police Minister Bheki Cele said two suspects who got away after a foiled cash-in-transit heist in Dawn Park have been on the police’s radar for years now.
Police on the scene of a foiled cash-transit-heist in Dawn Park, Boksburg, on 23 September 2020. Picture: Twitter/@SAPoliceService
JOHANNESBURG – It’s emerged a reservist based at the office of the National Police Commissioner is among those implicated in a foiled cash-in-transit heist in Boksburg.
Five suspects were killed in a shootout with police in Dawn Park on Wednesday.
Authorities said two other robbers were arrested and some of the stolen money was recovered.
Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the community on Wednesday and told residents the two suspects who got away had been on the police’s radar for years now.
“Two of them are well known in the rings of the crime syndicates and all their names are known. Some of them have been pursued by the police for almost three years.”
#sapsHQ Sedibeng TRT & EMPD respond swiftly to #CIT robbery in Dawn Park near springs in Gauteng this morning, 5 suspects have been fatally wounded & 2 are in custody. 4 unlicensed firearms, ammunition & undisclosed amount of money were also seized. TMhttps://t.co/AxB5Fc19jw pic.twitter.com/IJmduXoCzp
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) September 23, 2020
Police were given a tip-off moments before the crime was carried out.
“The information was collected, and the police were on the track that this is going to happen. Then it happened, they ran and came here. The police pursued – then somebody opened fire against the police,” said Cele.
Wednesday’s robbery comes just two days after criminals carried out a cash-in-transit in Evaton.
Cele said they hadn’t ruled out the possibility of a cash-in-transit syndicate operating in Johannesburg.
The minister said police were working to ramp up surveillance ahead of the festive season.
“We are very glad that we are catching these guys which is giving us good disruption successes ahead of the festive season. You can see they are preparing for the festive season, but in doing so they are putting ordinary citizens in danger.”
#PoliceMinistry Minister Gen #BhekiCele, National Commissioner Gen Sitole & Lt General Mfazi arrive @ the Dawn Park #CIT robbery take down in Ekurhuleni. A shootout between police and suspects led to the death of five robbers. Two of the gang members have been arrested. TM pic.twitter.com/dsFVlNUG90
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) September 23, 2020