The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has expressed appreciation for the joint efforts by the Police and Hoedspruit Farmwatch that led to the arrest of suspects who were allegedly involved in the cash in transit heist on Wednesday, 20 September 2023 in Hoedspruit Policing precinct.
It is alleged that on the said date, a group of unknown suspects attacked and robbed a cash in transit security vehicle an undisclosed amount of money and fled the scene in a White Toyota Fortuner, White Ford Focus and White Toyota Hilux. During the robbery, one of the security guards was fatally injured and disarmed.
The Police and the Hoedspruit Farm-watch received the report of the robbery and mobilized. The suspects were spotted along the road to Hoedspruit. The team attempted to stop the suspects but were met by a hail of bullets. The team returned fire and when the dust settled, four suspects were fatally injured, one injured and arrested, while the others managed to evade arrest by running to the nearby bushes.
Their victory was short lived as they were arrested the following day on Thursday, 21 September 2023 while traveling to Acornhoek in a mini bus following an intense search mission by the Hoedspruit Farm-watch Dogs, DPCI and a chopper. One of the arrested suspect is a highly wanted Mozambican suspect who has been on the run for some time for a spate of crimes he committed in the Free State province during 2022 including a murder of a police officer attached to TRT. The suspects were found in possession of suspected stolen money, rifle and pistol.
“I would like to express my most profound appreciation for the meticulous collaborative efforts by all stakeholders involved in the arrest of these suspects. I will forever be indebted to the continuous support that we always receive from the stakeholders and their enthusiasm to ensuring that we maintain law and order in the Province. We will stop at nothing to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book. We pay tribute to one of the G4S guard who lost his life during this aggravated robbery. We will continue sweeping our street side by side with our communities and usher a safer Province which we all aspire to have without failure.
“Concluded Lieutenant General Hadebe.
The suspects are expected to appear before the Hoedspruit Magistrate’s Court soon once they are released from hospital where they are under police guard.
Police investigations are continuing.
