/ 31 July 2005

Vehicles found after Jo’burg cash heist

Two vehicles have been recovered 150m away from the scene of a dramatic cash-in-transit heist that took place on the M1 north highway on Saturday.

Johannesburg police spokesperson Sergeant Sanku Tsunke said a Toyota Run-X and a Ford bakkie were found abandoned.

A group of men driving a Mercedes Benz rammed into a Fidelity Guard vehicle as it was travelling to its Crown Mine depot after picking up cash at the Southgate shopping mall, said Tsunke.

The armoured vehicle flipped over, and the occupants of the car alighted and fired several shots at the guards, Tsunke said.

He said the gunmen then sliced open the side of the Fidelity vehicle and escaped with an unknown amount of cash.

They then abandoned the Mercedes at the scene and drove off in the Run-X and the bakkie that have since been recovered.

Tsunke said a 9mm pistol was found in the bakkie.

Three guards were admitted to hospital. Their conditions were not known. — Sapa