A group of men who robbed a cash-in-transit guard of a cash box, at the Jet store in Hendrik Verwoerd Street on December 12, abandoned the money soon after it became spoiled.
The men entered the Jet store, confronted and forced the cash-in-transit security guard, who had just collected money from the cash office, to hand it over to them.
“The men pointed firearms at the guard, disarmed him and told him to hand over the box containing an undisclosed amount of money or be killed”, SAPS Nigel spokesperson Madeleine von Wielligh said.
The guard handed it over and they ran out of the store.
W/O Von Wielligh said the box was fitted with a dye pack which is activated in emergencies.
The purpose of the dye is to render the cash unfit for use by criminals after it has been stained.
Stained money becomes bluish purple or red around the edges of the notes or across one side as though they have been dipped in ink.
“Smoke was noticed coming from the box as they were running out of the store, which indicated that the dye system had been activated and therefore the money was no longer usable,” W/O Von Wielligh stated.
The cash box was abandoned in front of the Jet store and the robbers escaped on foot. The police said no shots were fired and no injuries were reported.
The police are investigating and no arrests have been made yet.
