Brazen cash-in-transit heist shocks villagers

Cracked windows and walls are some of the remnants of Dikeledi Molele’s house after  a bomb explosion during a cash-in-transit robbery shook 14 homes.

Molele had been visiting someone in her village of Ga-Maupa in Bolobedu, Limpopo, on Saturday when she heard a loud bang coming from close to her house. 

“I was informed by my mother that something bad had happened to my house. When I got home I found my yard littered with pieces of metals,” Molele told Sowetan.

“When I opened the house ... I realised that windows and walls were cracked and the roof almost collapsing. I think I was lucky that I was not home, maybe I could have died or sustained serious injuries.”

A cash delivery van that was cornered and bombed by thugs in her village left a trail of devastation, with many homes damaged.  

The cash truck was chased by robbers from the R81 towards Giyani from Polokwane before the thugs caught up with it and bombed it in Ga-Maupa. It is alleged that they threw some of the stained money around before leaving the crime scene.

A resident who didn’t want to be named said he was filled with fear when the force of the blast rattled furniture and cooking ware in his house.

“I heard my dishes falling to the ground as I was preparing to cook. I was lucky because nothing serious was damaged in my home except (drinking) glasses,” he said. 

Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said the driver of the cash van was shot and wounded, while a woman motorist was also seriously injured after she was caught in the crossfire between police and the suspects. 

Mojapelo said their preliminary investigation revealed that the cash vehicle with three occupants was on the R81 road when the driver of a white Range Rover coming from the opposite direction tried to bump into it but missed.

“His crew jumped out to inspect the vehicle but the same Range Rover suddenly emerged and its occupants opened fire on the Nissan NP200 which was escorting the cash van. The driver of the cash van drove towards Ga-Maupa for safety but was accosted by a third group of suspects driving in a silver VW Amarok.

“The suspects also opened fire on the cash van until the driver lost control and it stopped,” he said. 

Mojapelo said the suspects then blew up the cash van with explosives and took an undisclosed amount of money before they fled the scene in getaway vehicles.

Senior training coordinator at Institute for Security Studies Willem Els said the unabated growing trend of cash-in-transit robberies signified that criminals have become more and more brazen. 

“Criminals don’t care who gets hurt during the commission of the crime and this is because they know their actions have less consequences. They are heavily armed and know very well that  there are less chances they can be caught,” he said. 

He said police had failed to deal with the influx of explosives which are being smuggled from neighbouring countries for commission of crimes such as illegal mining and robberies.

Grant Clark, from the Cash-In-Transit Association of SA, said cash-in-transit robbery incidents increased by more than 19% when comparing the first two months of 2023 with the same period last year.

“Criminals have an aggressive attitude and no respect for authorities or the public as we see them blocking highways for up to 12 to 15 minutes while they perpetrate the crime and cause damage to personal property such as houses and vehicles,” he said.