By Kopano Dibakwane
Four suspects are behind bars following a cash-in-transit robbery that reportedly took place between Malelane and Tonga, next to the N4 road, on Friday morning.
The robbers were reportedly nabbed at a safehouse in Schoemansdal after the cars they used during the criminal act were chased by a law enforcement team made up of Hawks (Neslpruit-based serious organised crime investigation), provincial detectives, Malelane provincial crime intelligence, Schoemansdal detectives, national intervention unit, Nelspruit LCRC, Neslpruit bomb squad and private security.
” The amounted vehicle(AV) was rammed by a C-Class Mercedes Benz. The AV lost control and overturned. The AV was bombed and approximately R8000 in coins were stolen. The cash was destined for a business in Tonga,” said Hawks spokesperson in Mpumalanga, captain Dineo Sekgotodi.
The provincial head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, major-general Nicolas Gerber, thanked the multi-disciplinary team tasked with preventing and investigating cash-in-transit heists. The team includes crime intelligence (national office), NIU, tactical response team(TRT) and private companies affected by the robberies.
“The Hawks are not alone in this fight, we are literally squeezing the space where these suspects are operating. We have made 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,” said Gerber.
The Hawks made an appeal to members of the public to share information that can lead to the arrest of other suspects who managed to escape during the arrest.
