MPUMALANGA – The Provincial Head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Major General Gerber has conveyed his gratitude towards the multi-disciplinary team tasked with preventing and investigating the Cash-In-Transit heist. The team consists of the Hawks Provincial task team, Crime Intelligence National Office, NIU, TRT and private companies affected by these heists.
The armoured vehicle (AV) of Fidelity was traveling from Malelane towards Tonga on 11 August 2023 when the fidelity company was attacked by a group of criminals. Approximately 15 km from the N4 the AV was rammed by a C- class Mercedes Benz. The AV loss control and overturned. The AV was bombed and an undisclosed amount of money was stolen. This cash was destined for a business in Tonga. Suspects fled in the direction of Tonga.
The team comprised by the Hawks Nelspruit based Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Provincial Detectives, Malelane Detectives, Malelane Provincial Crime Intelligence, Schoemansdal Detectives, National Intervention Unit , Nelspruit LCRC, Nelspruit Bomb Disposal and Private Security companies engaged the suspects. The two vehicles which were reportedly used during the CIT Robbery were recovered at a safe house in Schoemansdal and four suspects arrested.
Major General Gerber sent a stern warning to those involved saying “ the Hawks are not alone in this fight, it is a collaborative effort and the strategy is bearing excellent results”. He further thanked the community working with the police and made a commitment to follow-up on information received from the public.