A man has been arrested in connection with the cash-in-transit robbery which occurred on the N8 near Bloemfontein earlier this week (2/9).
The suspect was apprehended at a house in Botshabelo (Section H), where two vehicles matching the description of those used in the robbery were found.
The multi-disciplinary police operation by the Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation unit, with the crime intelligence unit, the tactical response team, visible policing and explosives unit, and the local criminal record center searched the house and vehicles. They discovered several assault rifles, a pistol, rounds of ammunition, bullet-resistant vests, clothing items, and an unknown concoction inside a bottle.
This is not the first incident on the N8 this year. In July, a heist occurred on the same road. According to reports at the time, a cash vehicle en route from Botshabelo to Bloemfontein was rammed by a silver Mercedes-Benz, before a group of armed suspects opened fire. One of the guards was shot and sustained an injury to his right arm.
Free State head of the directorate for priority crime investigation (Hawks) Maj. Gen. Mokgadi Bokaba has made a call for relevant stakeholders to come together to work on a strategy to avoid similar incidents in the future.
The cash-in-transit robbery took place on Tuesday. It is alleged that a cash delivery van was travelling on the N8 when a group of armed suspects attacked. “They took an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the scene. Later on the same day, a marked police vehicle was shot at by suspects believed to be part of the robbery. No one was injured,” said WO Fikiswa Matoti from the Hawks.
The suspect is expected to appear in court on Thursday (4/9). Investigations are still underway.
Compiled by Gypseenia LionÂ
