A suspect was shot dead and a Fidelity security guard and a bystander were injured during a brazen robbery attempt in the lower part of Church Street in Pietermaritzburg yesterday.

It is believed three men approached the Fidelity vehicle as it was doing its daily stop at the Hassim Centre.

The security guards were met by the suspects on the pavement outside the centre and a shootout began.

One of the suspects was allegedly shot in the head and died on the scene while a security guard was shot in the chest and was rushed to hospital.

A woman who was nearby was also shot in the leg. She was treated at the scene by paramedics before she was taken to hospital.

Covert security

Bilal Amla from Covert Security, which is responsible for the centre’s security, said when the security guard was leaving the centre, one of the suspects fired shots at him and the backup security guard returned fire.

Amla says the robbers fled the scene in a getaway vehicle with a money bag but, by late yesterday, it was unclear whether there was any money in it.

The crime scene

When The Witness arrived there, a large crowd had gathered watching the police and security companies who were busy at the scene. Those who were nearby when the events unfolded say they are still shaken by the gunshots they heard.

The suspected robber’s body was still uncovered, with people surrounding the crime scene which had been taped off.

A witness, who asked not to be named, says she was at a flat nearby when she heard gunshots. She adds that when she checked to see what was happening, the man had already been shot.

“I am still shaken by what I saw and feel sorry for the woman that was shot during this whole thing. Hearing the gunshots was very terrifying and it’s scary that now that we are in December more criminals are seeing an opportunity to commit crime.”

Other witnesses also expressed shock and fear. Another witness says he never thought he would see such an incident in his life.

“It’s like these guys knew exactly what they were doing and were prepared but sadly one of them was killed. I work nearby and we haven’t had many robberies around here, so this was really a shock.”

Police by late yesterday had not yet commented on the shooting.

About five months ago, a Fidelity driver was shot dead during an attempted cash-in-transit heist in Kokstad.

According to the CEO of Fidelity Services group Wahl Bartmann, a Fidelity cash-in-transit team in Kokstad was ambushed en route to their base by six heavily armed gunmen. Bartmann at the time said the suspects rammed the Fidelity vehicle and shot dead the driver.

The two remaining crewmen were able to escape when the suspects set the vehicle alight.

The gunmen were not able to access the cash in the vehicle in that incident.