Three suspects were arrested within hours of a cash-in-transit robbery earlier this week.

According to a statement issued by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), information was circulated on Monday about a black Porsche Cayenne fleeing from Tarkastad, in the direction of Cradock, on the R61.

The vehicle was suspected to have been involved in a cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery near Macleantown, on the N6, earlier that day.

Yesterday, the Hawks released a media statement about the incident and the recovery of the cash.

The provincial head of the Hawks in the Eastern Cape, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, lauded the swift and fruitful joint effort by the Hawks interim CIT task team and the provincial tactical response team to locate the suspects within a few hours of the incident.

According to the statement, at 06:00 on Monday, an SBV armoured vehicle (AV) was en route from East London to Stutterheim when it was ambushed by suspects in a fleet of vehicles. The AV landed on its side and three guards were injured.

An SBV escort vehicle was also shot at and a backup was called to the scene where explosives were recovered and detonated.

The suspects fled with an undisclosed amount of money and abandoned three of their vehicles. It was later discovered that the vehicles were reported stolen in other provinces.

A few hours later, information was received which led the team to Kom and a homestead in Keiskammahoek.

The assailants opened fire on the law enforcement team, who returned fire. Five suspects were killed.

Cash in original money bags, three AK-47 rifles, one R1 rifle, four R5 riffles and 17 magazines, with a large number of live rounds of ammunition, were seized.

A 58-year-old suspect, who is the owner of the property, was arrested and will appear in the King William’s Town Magistrate’s court soon.

A follow-up investigation ensued, leading to the arrest of three suspects driving a Porsche, with a Gauteng registration, between Queenstown (Komani) and Cradock.

A roadblock was set up outside Tarkastad by Gqeberha Hawks and Cradock SAPS K9 Unit, Cradock Visible Police, Cradock Public Order Police and Local Criminal Record Centre members.

The vehicle did not stop at the roadblock and a chase ensued. Three suspects aged between 44 and 48 were arrested.

Cash in stacks of R100 and R200 notes in original cash bags, four burner cellphones and the Porsche were seized. The Porsche was reported stolen in Gauteng.

The suspects will make their first court appearance in the Cradock Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.