'Guards need military training'
25/10/2006 21:40  - (SA)  

Want to know more? Answerit can help.

Heist: Fuel canister found Heist: Fuel canister found Police to help against heists Police to help against heists Guard shot dead in cash heist Guard shot dead in cash heist Jhb heist: Slain baby buried Jhb heist: Slain baby buried Jhb heist suspect kills himself Jhb heist suspect kills himself Four held for deadly Jhb heist Four held for deadly Jhb heist I can't go on - dying guard I can't go on - dying guard 'This was very bad' 'This was very bad' No arrests after fiery deaths No arrests after fiery deaths Security guards burn to death Security guards burn to death

Johannesburg - Solidarity trade union called on Wednesday for military-style training for cash-in-transit security guards in response to the rising number of heists.

Spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans said: "We're not saying that they don't receive good training, but we believe that they don't receive the type of training required to handle these situations."

This was especially so given the fact that most heists appeared to be executed with military precision.

His remarks follow Wednesday's appearance in Mokopane magistrate's court in Limpopo of six men accused of killing four security guards after a cash heist.

They allegedly shot dead one of the guards and burnt the other three to death after ramming their van off the road on September 29. Their case was postponed to November 8.

Kleyhans said: "Although the police think they have the expertise and infrastructure to help security companies with guard training, private-sector experts have told Solidarity in no uncertain terms that the SAPS is incapable of providing such training."

Senior Superintendent Vish Naidoo would not comment on whether or not cash-in-transit guards were receiving training from the police service.

148 suspects arrested

Asked whether he thought the training cash-in-transit guards were receiving from their employers was adequate, he said: "We would have to do a study on that."

He said that in the past two months police had arrested 148 suspects in connection with cash heists, a large number of them before the crime could be committed.

"More often that not (these arrests) are intelligence-driven and are a clear indication of the capacity we have."

Coin Security referred queries to its managing director MC du Toit, who could not be reached for comment.

- SAPA

What is this? Yahoo Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Brought to you by OUTsurance Car Insurance
	News24 Headlines on your Facebook profile		News24 on mobile