A 34-YEAR-OLD man was arrested hours after four security guards miraculously survived when an armed gang sprayed their van with bullets in a botched cash-in-transit heist near the Rivonia Road off-ramp in Sandton, Johannesburg, yesterday.

He was found with two R-5 rifles, four magazines and a hammer that had allegedly been used in the robbery.

The man was driving a silver Audi A4 sedan when he was caught in Sunridge in Midrand, police spokesperson Warrant Officer Moses Maphakela said.

The security guards were in a G4S security cash van on the M1 North when about 15 men in six cars sprayed their vehicle with bullets.

He said the security guards "were happy to have escaped the ordeal unhurt and also that the thugs had left empty-handed".

About 15 men armed with R-5 and AK-47 rifles tried to stop the G4S van by shooting it from behind.

"The van stopped when the tyres were hit," Maphakela said.

"The men then rushed to the driver and took his gun. They used a hammer to try and smash one of the side windows of the cash van but failed to break it.

"They suddenly decided to speed off, leaving one of their vehicles - a brown Nissan Hardbody - behind.

The thugs sped off in five silver vehicles.

The police later discovered that the Nissan Hardbody was stolen in Mpumalanga last month.

No one was injured during the shooting and no cash was taken. The police have opened a case of attempted cash-in-transit heist and attempted murder.