Provincial police spokesperson, Thandi Mbambo, confirms a cash-in-transit vehicle owned by security company G4S was ambushed by a large group of between eight and ten armed men on the N6 between Reddersburg and Bloemfontein on late Wednesday afternoon. 

At about 16:20, the large group of suspects who were travelling in a silver Mercedes Benz and a white BMW forced the armed vehicle to a secluded area before robbing it.

Mbambo reports the suspects bombed the van before making way with an undisclosed amount of money. Mbambo says it’s alleged most of the cash was damaged in the explosion but confirms the suspects did manage to flee the scene with some money. 

One security guard was reportedly injured in the incident. Mbambo says the guard’s firearm was confiscated by the suspects, who then got rid of the firearm as they headed in the direction of Bloemfontein after fleeing the scene.

No arrests have been made and all follow-up queries are to be made with the national police spokesperson who will comment further.

This comes mere days after Free State police managed to arrest ten people in connection with a failed cash-in-transit heist in Phuthaditjhaba on Saturday 30 November 2019. 

Police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, explained that authorities received information on the planned heist in the Phuthaditjhaba central business district and managed to locate the armed suspects who were divided into two groups just as they were about to accost the moving cash van. 

Makhele reveals the case has been handed over to the Hawks to determine if the suspects have been involved in other robberies and/or cash-in-transits in the province before.  

The OFM News team has in the latter half of 2019 reported on unresolved cash-in-transit heists near the Free State capital, Bloemfontein. 

On 4 July 2018, the Hawks in the Free State launched a manhunt for at least ten suspects alleged to have opened gunfire on a cash-in-transit van at around 06:30 that Monday morning. Hawks spokesperson Lynda Steyn said no money was taken, nor were there any casualties. 

Bullet cases were found by authorities, strewn across the crime scene which stretched quite a distance on the R702 road.

Over a month later, about ten gunman again, armed with assault rifles blew a cash-in-transit van travelling on the N8 road, near the Bram Fischer Airport outside Bloemfontein. 

The gunmen who were travelling in a double-cab bakkie and a sedan, also shot at a police helicopter which was in the area. It is unknown how much money they made away with.

OFM News