Rustenburg CIT heist, one suspect arrested
Rustenburg – In an incident underscoring the surge in cash-in-transit (CIT) crimes, a robbery unfolded on the R104 near Kroondal, Rustenburg. The heist, which took place around 17:30 on Monday, 11 November 2024, involved multiple armed suspects who forced a cash transport vehicle off the road and ignited it in a fiery explosion before fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash.
According to colonel Adéle Myburgh, the attack began when a white Mercedes Benz rammed into the security vehicle, pushing it off course. Despite the driver’s attempts to evade, shots rang out, forcing him and his colleague to abandon the vehicle. Both security officers were uninjured, though they were swiftly overpowered by the suspects, who took their 9mm firearms before setting explosives in the cash van. The explosion, which sent smoke billowing into the sky, drew a crowd from surrounding areas, with some attempting to grab the scattered cash.
“I heard faint gunshots at first, but then the sound intensified,” recounted one eyewitness who had been closing his shop nearby. “Then came a loud explosion, followed by a smaller one. I saw smoke and flames, and soon people gathered. Cars nearby quickly turned around to avoid the chaos.”
In a swift response following the heist, police intelligence led officers to an address in Kagiso, near Krugersdorp, where they confiscated a Toyota Quantum believed to be linked to the transport of suspects. By early Tuesday morning, a suspect — a woman in her 40s — was apprehended in Tlhabane.
The arrest also yielded two more vehicles — a Toyota bakkie reported stolen in Bloemfontein and a Volkswagen Tiguan hijacked in Boitekong. Both vehicles are believed to have played a role in the heist.
Lieutenant general Sello Kwena, provincial police commissioner, praised the operation’s multidisciplinary approach, which swiftly led to the arrest. He also urged community members to avoid tampering with crime scenes, stressing the importance of maintaining scene integrity for investigators.
The suspect is expected to appear in Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court soon.
Authorities are appealing to anyone with information to contact captain Mollo Kgekoane of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) at 082 338 3140.
Photo: The aftermath of the explosive cash-in-transit heist near Kroondal, Rustenburg, where suspects left the armoured van destroyed.
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