DURBAN - The South African Police Service has revealed that 202 cash-in-transit (CIT) suspects have been arrested and 104 firearms and 178 high-performance vehicles recovered since the establishment of the National CIT Task Team.
Police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole commended the relentless efforts of the national task team that was established to prevent and combat aggravated robberies, particularly in CIT heists in five provinces.
The commissioner’s remarks follow the latest breakthrough in which two more suspects were arrested in the Rosettenville area on Monday evening, bringing the total number of those arrested to 10.
“The pair were part of at least 25 suspects who were allegedly on their way to commit a CIT robbery when they were intercepted by a multidisciplinary team led by the National CIT Task Team in Moffatview, in the south of Johannesburg,” Mathe said.
“Various policing disciplines worked tirelessly throughout the night, combing the scene where the task team managed to corner the group of heavily armed suspects. During the ordeal, eight suspects were shot and killed, 10 suspects were arrested, two of whom are under police guard in hospital.
“The team also seized 10 high-performance vehicles at an identified address as well as six AK47 machine guns, three rifles as well as explosives.”
Mathe said that on Tuesday, Gauteng provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela visited the injured police officers in hospital.
Three members of the SAPS which include, an Airborne Law Enforcement Officer and two members from Moffatview police station were shot and wounded during the attack. A Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department officer was also among the wounded officers.
An SAPS member has since been discharged.
The provincial commissioner has confirmed that the health of the injured members had improved and they were in high spirits.
“Since its establishment in February 2020, the team, which is led by a female commander, has been responsible for the arrest of 202 suspects that have been linked to CIT-related crimes. Thirteen of these suspects are among the country's top 13 most-wanted criminals who have been involved in a spate of aggravated robberies.
“To date, 178 high-performance vehicles that were mostly hijacked have been recovered as well as 104 firearms, which include 59 pistols and 48 rifles, were seized during arrests,” Mathe said.
She said that in order to complement the team, the Hawks established a task team, also in February 2020, to focus on CIT investigations that formed part of its mandate. The team had a broader focus and extended its work to apprehend all identified suspects on CIT and CIT-related cases.
Sitole said: “The multidisciplinary team – consisting of the National CIT Task Team, Crime Intelligence, members of the SAPS Airwing, the Tactical Response Teams, K9, JMPD, EMPD, Gauteng Highway Patrol well as RTMC – ought to be commended for their hard work and dedication in pursuing these criminals in the latest breakthrough.
“This latest incident ought to send a clear message to all criminals that we are coming for all of them and that there is no longer a space for criminals to operate freely in South Africa. I also take this opportunity to wish all injured a speedy recovery.”
Mathe added that while a manhunt was under way to apprehend the remaining suspects, a call was being made to the suspects to hand themselves in at their nearest police station.
Members of the public who have information on the whereabouts of the suspects are encouraged to contact their nearest police station or call the Crime Stop Hotline at 08600 10111.
Daily News