Durban: A 36-year-old SA National Defence Force (SANDF) member has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a cash-in-transit heist at a petrol station in Oudtshoorn.
According to Western Cape police spokesperson Zinzi Hani, the robbery took place on July 19.
Hani said the member, who is a captain attached to the Infantry School in Oudtshoorn, was arrested on July 23 and will be the fourth suspect to be charged in the matter.
The arrest was a joint operation between the Hawks National Priority Violent Crimes team (NPVC) and the Attaqua K9 Unit from Oudtshoorn.
According to Hani, security guards from Fidelity Cash Solutions were robbed while collecting cash from a petrol station.
“One of the security guards was accosted by two armed suspects while on his way back to his armoured vehicle. He was disarmed of his service pistol and robbed of a bag containing cash.
“Minutes after the robbery, the Hawks team stopped a Nissan Sentra and arrested the three occupants.
“A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of the stolen security guard’s firearm and a sealed money bag containing the stolen cash, along with a second firearm which had its serial number filed off.”
The Hawks team also found a full SANDF uniform in the vehicle.
“None of the three occupants were soldiers. A loyal service medal was pinned to the jacket with the name and rank of the SANDF member.
Hani said it is alleged that the vehicle that was used in the robbery, a white Toyota Tazz fitted with false number plates, had been driven by the SANDF member.
“It is further alleged the white Toyota Tazz drove away from the crime scene and stopped next to a silver/blue Nissan Sentra and the stolen goods were transferred from the Toyota Tazz to the Nissan Sentra.”
“On Wednesday July 21, 2021, the Hawks team followed up on information received from Oudtshoorn detectives on the whereabouts of the Toyota Tazz used in the robbery. The Tazz was found parked inside a garage of a residence in Oudtshoorn, not far from the Infantry School. The set of false number plates used in the robbery was found inside the vehicle.
“Consequently, the SANDF member was arrested.”
The SANDF member will make his first appearance in the Oudtshoorn Magistrate’s Court on Monday facing charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
IOL