Cash-in-transit guards robbed after walking in on armed robbery

A team of G4S cash-in-transit security guards were robbed of their firearms after walking into a sports bar during an armed robbery in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.

The robbery happened shortly after 1.15pm at the Coega Vulindlela Village on the corner of the N2 and Addo Road on the outskirts of Wells Estate.

A group of about five gunmen approached the security guards shortly after they stopped outside the bar for a cash pick-up.

Police spokesperson Captain André Beetge said the cash-in-transit staff arrived at the village to do a cash collection.

“The security guards stopped outside the venue without knowing that there was a robbery under way inside," Beetge said. 

"One guard went inside to do the collection while another stood outside monitoring the premises. When the guard entered the sports bar, he was attacked by the robbers who pistol-whipped him. As the guard was struck, the suspects pounced on him and took his pistol.

“The suspects then continued to rob the premises.”

Beetge said that on leaving the bar, the men attacked  the security guard standing outside.

“The guard was held at gunpoint and forced to hand over his rifle. The men then jumped into the barman’s silver VW Polo which was parked outside the premises,” he said.

By 3pm the vehicle had been found abandoned in Sangxa Street in Motherwell.

According to officials on the scene, the robbers managed to get away with more than R100,000.

“At this stage, it is unclear whether the robbery was planned around the cash pick-up or whether it was a coincidence,” he said.

No-one was injured during the robbery.

The case has been taken over by the Motherwell Serious Violent Crime task team.