5 September 2018 – Yesterday, during a joint intelligence led operation four alleged CIT robbers were arrested on the N1 just outside Sasolburg.
On Monday 3 September 2018 a group of armed men attacked an armoured cash-in-transit vehicle in the Ngaleni area of Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape Province. The suspects used explosives to open the truck and they fled with an undisclosed amount of money.
The 72 hour Activation Plan was immediately implemented which entailed the mobilisation of Crime Intelligence, the DPCI, SAPS Detectives and other specialised units.
Yesterday, Crime Intelligence tracked down the suspects between the Eastern Cape and Gauteng and an operational team intercepted them on the N1 just outside Sasolburg.
Four suspects aged between 40 and 44 years of age were travelling in a hired car. On searching the vehicle, a substantial amount of money was found hidden inside the door panels of the car.
Suspects failed to give a satisfactory explanation why the money was hidden inside their car. Some of the notes were damaged, presumably by the explosion during robbery.
The suspects are also suspected to have been involved in cash in transit robbery in the morning of Monday, 3 August 2018 in Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape where they failed to take money but fled with firearms of security officers.
The National Commissioner of Police General Khehla John Sitole has commended the team on the speedy arrest of those believed to have been involved in the robbery.
“Since the implementation of the 72 hour Activation Plan, we are realising greater successes in tracking and arresting perpetrators of serious crimes”, said General Sitole.
“The essence of this plan is to mobilise maximum resources such as Crime Intelligence, DPCI, Forensics and other experts within the stipulated period of time to ensure that all areas of the preliminary investigation are covered thoroughly and no information and evidence that can help in identifying those responsible for the crime is lost”, added General Sitole.
Detectives are expected to make more arrests in this case.
Cash In Transet robbers nabbed within hours after Eastern Cape robbery https://t.co/0Mm0xJ1SZP #ArriveAlive #CIT pic.twitter.com/PyCA6lSact
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) September 5, 2018