Guard stable after cash heist
Two brothers were shot and wounded while escorting the manager of Nkomazi Fuel to the filling station from the bank...
ROCKY DRIFT – Wilkens Street was transformed into a typical Wild Wild West movie scene on Wednesday when armed thugs managed to get away with R1,7 million in a cash-in-transit heist. One security guard is fighting for his life in Mediclinic Nelspruit after beng critically wounded during the attack. Cartridges of an AK-47 assault rifle, R5 and 9mm pistol that were retrieved on the scene, bore testimony to this.
Brothers Mr Willie and Mr Pieter Visser of Lizard Security were escorting a vehicle of Nkomazi Fuel when the attackers struck at about 12:00. They had just obtained the cash from SBV and were on their way back to Nkomazi Fuel. “We always escort them en route as when they transport their cash,” Willie told Lowvelder from Mediclinic Nelspruit later that afternoon. “We don’t carry any cash in our vehicles but provide the service of a security escort. Our client was driving a Toyota Hilux double cab containing the cash.”
The Toyota Hilux which carried the money drove in front, with Pieter and Willie travelling behind in two separate vehicles. They turned left and noticed a black Nissan bakkie approaching. A white vehicle suddenly appeared and blocked them. Three men climbed out of one of the vehicles and opened fire on the Hilux before focusing their attention on the vehicles Willie and Pieter were driving.
Pieter sustained bullet wounds to the right arm, right shoulder, shoulder blade and pelvis and was admitted to Mediclinic Nelspruit and
stabilised. Spokesman Ms Robyn Baard confirmed this and added that he was currently in a stable condition in the ICU. Willie was not shot but sustained cuts and bruises as he was pulled from his car.
According to provincial police spokesman Col Leonard Hlathi, the suspects fired as many as 17 shots at Willie’s car but missed him as he lay on the ground. They disarmed the guards before fleeing in the three vehicles. Yesterday (Thursday) morning, police were
notified of three that had been found deserted next to the road just before the entrance to Ridgehill Estate near Penryn. They fitted the description the Vissers had given of those used in the attack.
It later transpired that they had been parked there at about 12:30. It appears as if the suspects had been picked up there. Police investigation revealed that all those left at Penryn had been stolen. These included a black Nissan bakkie stolen in Bethal, a white Kia
taken in Norkem Park in Gauteng and a silver Ford Focus in Douglasdale.
Forensic investigators managed to retrieve several finger prints and DNA samples. Investigating officer WO Grobbie Grobler requests anyone who might have seen the occupants leaving the vehicles parked near Ridgehill, to phone him on 082-455-6591.
Lowvelder approached Nkomazi Fuel for comment, but had received none at the time of going to print.
