10 robbers killed in heist attempt
2007-12-11 14:57
Johannesburg - A crack police team killed 10 would-be robbers and wounded two when it thwarted a cash-in-transit heist on the R101 near Bela-Bela in Limpopo on Tuesday.
National police spokesperson Director Phuti Setati said members of specialised police units received a tip-off that the men were going to rob a Coin security van around 11:40.
Setati said the van, which was travelling back to Pretoria after picking up money, reached the Maubane offramp when the robbers began firing at the vehicle.
Police, who had taken up position in and around the offramp, returned "heavy fire", initially killing nine and seriously wounding three would-be robbers.
One of them died in the ambulance at the scene.
The 12 robbers had been travelling in three vehicles. Along with the vehicles, police also recovered four AK47s, one shotgun, one R-5 rifle and five handguns.
"It was splendid work," said Setati. "We knew their plan. We had sharp intelligence."
Setati said the operation was a message from the police to the criminals that they would spare no effort in stopping them .
"We are going to thwart them," he said.
"We can't allow a few criminals to intimidate the whole country. Communities are up in arms, supporting the police."
No Coin security guards or police were injured in the shoot-out.
- SAPA