Cape Town – Cash-in-transit heists in and around Cape Town have more than tripled since the beginning of the year, compared with the same period last year.
During this period armed robbers made off with more than R45 million.
Another concern is that none of the perpetrators have been apprehended.
This is according to the SA Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric), following an urgent meeting with Police Minister Fikile Mbalula and national police commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane.
The meeting was to find ways to enhance strategies on how best to deal with the surge in cash-in-transit heists. Nationally, there had been 98 reported incidents since the beginning of the year.
In the Western Cape there were 24 armed robberies in the Cape Town metro since January 1 compared with the seven reported during the same period last year.
Police said the provinces which had seen a spike in cash-in-transit heists also included Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
“These brazen criminals should not be allowed to terrorise our communities and law enforcement agencies. Our members should be allowed to exercise their constitutional mandate without fear or favour,” Phahlane said.
“Our plans are aimed at intensifying our strategies through collaborative initiatives, with the ultimate goal of eradicating these serious crimes; together with stakeholders from Sabric.”
Of concern was the continued loss of life during the commission of these crimes, he said.
Sabric CEO Kalyani Pillay said methods employed by the criminals included the increased use of explosives.
“The blowing up of cash-in-transit vehicles has become a major problem,” she said.
“The violent and brazen nature of these attacks is a major concern for both the cash-in-transit companies and the banks. The SAPS have fortunately put plans into action to deal with this. Collaboration among the various divisions of the police, prosecution, Sabric, the banks, cash-in-transit companies and other relevant role-players, led by the SAPS, has yielded clear strategies and tactics,” Pillay said.
“We are also pleased with the support from the various levels of leadership within the SAPS, starting from the very top,” she said, adding that Sabric would continue to support law enforcement “and from a sector perspective will also leave no stone unturned in fighting this scourge”.
During the 2014/15 financial year 114 cash heists were reported nationally while 137 incidents took place last year.
Cash in transit guards have come under a series of attacks by armed robbers, the most recent incident having been in Durban last week.
Police are hunting a gang of armed robbers who held up a cash-in-transit security guard at a shopping centre in Inanda, north of the city.
According to police, the security guard and his colleague were about to load cash into an ATM when the gang of robbers swarmed them.
It is estimated robbers got away with R180 million in cash heists last year.