Calls for army deployment amid increase in cash-in-transit heists across country
|Published
A screenshot from a video of the N12 CIT.
Private security company, Fidelity Service Group, is calling for the army to be deployed to help cash vans in the wake of an increase in cash heists across the country.
According to Fidelity CEO Wahl Bartmann, the deployment will help deal with the scourge of syndicates preying on cash-carrying vehicles.
There have been more than 240 crash-in-transit robberies since the beginning of the year.
At the weekend, a gang of between 15 and 20 suspects got away with an undisclosed amount of money during a cash-in-transit heist on the N12.
N12 Cash in transit heist pic.twitter.com/CnXyPBRN5s
— 🤍 (@Boy2meloh) October 7, 2023
Police said four cash guards were injured and taken to hospital. One sustained gunshot wounds, while the others sustained injuries after the cash vehicle overturned before being bombed by the suspects.
Last week, at least four cash heists were reported in KwaZulu-Natal.
In one of the incidents, a guard, Stanley Hansraj, was killed.
Speaking to eNCA, Bartmann said when private security companies approached Parliament previously, they had support from police and there was a noted decline in attacks. He said the support from South African Police Services (SAPS) is no longer available to them, alleging that it took police close to half an hour to respond to the incident on the N12.
"We need the support from government. When the trucks were burning in Van Reenen, the military was deployed. Why can't they deploy the military to support us? This is really, if you look at the state of the industry, crucial," Bartmann said.
He said the industry needs the protection and support of government.
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