Innocent residents wounded in CIT crossfire
Rustenburg – A violent cash-in-transit (CIT) heist erupted on the corner of Beneden Street (R510) and Ridder Street on Monday, 10 March 2025, leaving two innocent community members wounded inside their own home.
North West Hawks spokesperson, warrant officer Amogelang Malwetse, confirmed that a case of robbery and cash-in-transit heist is under investigation. “We cannot divulge any more information at this stage,” he stated.
A SCENE OF DEVASTATION
The attack began with a deafening explosion, followed by a hailstorm of bullets. The shootout between the armed robbers and the security personnel was so intense that stray bullets struck two residents, Johannes and Christelle Lues, inside their home.
A Mercedes-Benz, suspected to be one of the criminals’ vehicles, was torched near the cash van, likely to destroy evidence such as DNA and fingerprints. Amid the chaos, some community members attempted to loot the scattered cash while security forces, SAPS, and emergency services worked to contain the situation.
A member of the Rustenburg Crime Combating Forum, who was present at the scene, described the ordeal: “The suspects were shooting at the police and security personnel. I also witnessed community members looting money.”
RESIDENTS CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
Among the victims were Johannes and Christelle Lues, longtime residents of Beneden Street. Christelle recounted the terrifying moment when her husband, bleeding from a gunshot wound, turned to her and said, “Love, I’m not going to make it.”
Only after calling for help did she realize that she, too, had been shot. “Blood was everywhere,” she described. With emergency services delayed, their son-in-law rushed them to Peglerae Hospital. They are currently in stable condition at Ferncrest Hospital, awaiting further medical procedures.
Johannes suffered a shattered shoulder, while Christelle’s condition remains critical due to a bullet lodged near a major artery between her lungs.
Main photo: Chaos and destruction — the CIT heist scene where bullets flew, a car was set alight, and panicked community members scrambled for cover as looters grabbed cash. Screams filled the air as people tried to escape the hail of gunfire.
