According to the Fidelity Services Group, at least 15 unidentified suspects were involved in the Springs cash-in-transit heist which has resulted in the death of one of the robbers and the arrest of two others.
According to the police, a manhunt for the remaining 12 suspects is still under way.
The incident resulted in the closure of M1 highway for the better part of Thursday following a shoot-out between the suspects started after the suspects attacked and disarmed the Fidelity Cash Solutions vehicle on Butler Road / M63 towards N17 while it was on en route back from a cash collection at one of its retail customers.
In a statement , Wahl Bartmann, CEO of Fidelity Service Group, said the incident happened at approximately at 5.15pm.
“Our vehicle was chased from behind by one set of suspects in a silver BMW. The suspects opened fire and shot at the wheels of the Fidelity vehicle and the driver’s window, forcing our vehicle to stop and the driver and crew to exit the vehicle,” said Baartman.
Baartman said they were able to identify at least 15 armed suspects in total, with a second group of suspects said to have been driving in a white Hyundai.
Some reports suggest that a taxi was also involved in the robbery.
It was further reported that once the vehicle had been forced off the road, it blocked traffic and then proceeded to bomb the vehicle.
“All the suspects then fled the scene in two getaway vehicles. Fortunately, there were no injuries sustained. While busy on the scene, information was received by the team of a shoot-out between SAPS and the suspects allegedly involved in the current CIT heist on the M1 at Xavier offramp,” Baartman added.
It was during gun fire exchange with police that one of the suspect was fatally wounded and two suspects arrested.
Baartman said further investigations led police to a safe house, where both the BMW and the Hyundai were recovered on site, as well as some of the missing assets.
The investigation is still ongoing.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said security guards had just picked up money from various outlets and were on their way back to their base when they were disarmed, and the cash van bombed.
“Gauteng police immediately operationalised information, and maximum resources were mobilised. Vigilant members attached to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) and the Johannesburg Flying Squad traced the suspects at 20.20 on the M1 south just before the Booysens off-ramp.
“A shootout ensued with the suspects, who were travelling in a Toyota Quantum. One suspect was certified dead at the scene, while two others were apprehended. Three rifles were recovered, cash and two cellphones have been seized,” Mathe said.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed that following a day-long mop up operations that resulted in the highway being closed off to traffic, the road was re-opened at about 3.30pm.
“The M1 freeway has been reopened for traffic to flow. This is following a closure today between Xavier Street and Booysens Road due to a crime scene following a shootout between police and suspects, which saw one suspect sustaining fatal injuries and two suspects being arrested by the police.”