Mbombela (Nelspruit) – The long arm of the law on Friday caught up with four cash-in-transit heist suspects at a house in Schoemansdal, where two alleged getaway cars were recovered.
The suspects were rounded up after a cash-in-transit robbery earlier on Friday morning in which an armoured vehicle was rammed into by a Mercedes Benz to forcibly bring it to a halt.
Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the armed robbers used explosives to open the armoured vehicle to get to the cash.
They made off with about R8 000 in coins.
The heist was orchestrated about 15km from the N4 when the Fidelity armoured vehicle was in transit from Malelane toward Tonga.
After the heist, the robbers fled in the direction of Tonga.
The incident prompted a massive follow-up by the long arm of the law.
A team comprising the Hawks Nelspruit-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Provincial Detectives, Malelane Detectives, Malelane Provincial Crime Intelligence, Schoemansdal Detectives, National Intervention Unit, Nelspruit LCRC, Nelspruit Bomb Disposal, and Private Security companies followed up information regarding the suspects.
“The two vehicles, which were used during the cash-in-transit robbery were recovered at a ‘safe house’ in Schoemansdal and four suspects were arrested,” said Captain Sekgotodi.
The Hawks spokesperson said that more information was being followed up on and further arrests were expected.
“Members of the Hawks confirm their commitment to follow-up information received from the public,” said Captain Sekgotodi.
Mpumalanga head of the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks), Major-General Nicholas Jacobus Gerber lauded the law enforcers involved in the arrests of the suspects.
Major-General Gerber requested anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the other suspects to contact the Hawks.
“The Hawks are not alone in this fight… we are literally squeezing the space where these suspects are operating,” said Major-General Gerber.
“We have made a serious impact over the past couple of weeks. We will not rest.
“This is a collaborative effort and the strategy is bearing excellent results in a short space of time.”
