VIDEO: Cash van targeted in Van Dyk Road

A security guard was rushed to hospital for medical attention after he was shot in the leg during another cash-in-transit robbery in Van Dyk Road yesterday afternoon (March 19).

According to police reports, at about 16:45, a G4S cash van transporting money from Springs Mall was ambushed by at least seven balaclava-clad gunmen driving a white Volkswagen Tiguan and a Black BMW.
The 51-year-old driver of the van told the police that as he and his crew member were driving they heard gunshots. They then saw a black BMW following their van.

The driver tried to speed away along Van Dyk Road, but the BMW stayed on their tail until the van reportedly came to halt due to some mechanical defect, on the Van Dyk Road bridge.
The robbers continued to fire shots at the cash van. A bullet went through the vehicle and hit the crew member in the leg.

Both men were held at gunpoint by the robbers, who were armed with rifles and an AK47.
They were forced out of the van and instructed to lie on the ground, before the robbers blew up the cash van with explosives, stole an undisclosed amount of money and fled the scene.
The criminals’ getaway vehicles were seen racing down the freeway, N17 westbound. No arrests have been made.

The injured security guard was taken to hospital.
A video circulating on social media shows motorists who were caught up in the robbery making U-turns to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
Anyone with information should contact the SAPS Crime Stop number on 08600 10111 or report to the nearest police station. All information received will be treated with confidentiality.

Hotspot
This is the same stretch of road where robbers hit a cash van in March 2021, and fled the scene with a substantial amount of money.
In the previous robbery, a gang of heavily armed men rammed a cash van off the road by a green Mercedes-Benz, causing the cash van to stop.

Police reported that the robbers made off with an undisclosed amount of money in a white Mercedes-Benz and a black Audi after they used explosives to bomb the cash vehicle. A source told the Advertiser about R6.2-million worth of cash was stolen during the robbery.
Two security guards were injured in the incident and rushed to hospital.

Things to do when caught up in a CIT robbery
The CEO of Fidelity Services Group, Wahl Bartmann, shared the following vital safety tips to help individuals navigate these dangerous scenarios and prioritise their safety.

• Maintain safe distance: When observing a cash-in-transit incident, try and put as much distance between your vehicle and the crime scene.

• Avoid crossfire: Do not exit your vehicle as you could get caught in the crossfire. Try to vacate the area if possible

• Prioritise personal safety: Never approach perpetrators of cash in transit as they are armed and dangerous. Always remember your safety first. Do not place yourself in inevitable danger. Criminals may react irrationally when seeing you.

• Avoid eye contact: Avoid any form of eye or physical contact.

• Keep your engine running: If caught in the vicinity of a CIT robbery make sure that you do not switch off your vehicle in case you need to escape the incident. Keep your car engine running at all times.

• Share videos with authorities: Share videos that you have taken with the authorities rather than posting them on social media. This could assist with the apprehension of the criminals. Posting on your social media channels which get shared broadly, may jeopardise the case.

• Report it: Immediately notify the police. Contact SAPS when you find yourself in a CIT heist but, remember that it is always about your safety first. The SAPS contact number for emergencies is 10111.
“If you are at a shopping centre and witness a cross-pavement heist near an ATM, the same advice applies,” said Bartmann.

“If you are not in your car keep as much distance between yourself and the perpetrators as possible. Rather lie flat on the floor to avoid being caught in the crossfire if any shots are fired. Again, notify the authorities or centre management as quickly as possible. Remember, these syndicates are highly trained and dangerous so caution has to be exercised.”

Also Read: WATCH: Robbers help themselves to jewellery at Atlas Mall