Daring cash-in-transit robbers fire on van

A heavily armed gang of robbers fired several shots at a cash-in-transit van while trying to push it off the road during a daring robbery on the N2 between Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth last night.

The heist happened at about 8pm as an armoured G4S money transport vehicle was passing Nanaga heading towards Port Elizabeth.

According to police the gang of more than 10 robbers, armed with automatic rifles and handguns, tried to ambush the vehicle that was travelling back from Grahamstown.

Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge said as the armoured van approached Nanaga it was overtaken by a silver Polo. 

The driver of the Polo slammed on brakes to get the vehicle to stop.

“Evasive driving was done and the driver managed to avoid crashing into the back of the Polo.

"While this was happening, a silver Nissan bakkie, carrying about nine armed suspects, pulled alongside the armored vehicle.

"The suspects opened fired on the vehicle from behind and from the side while attempting to force the vehicle off the road,” he said.

“When the bakkie got next to the vehicle, the driver managed to bump and push the Nissan bakkie off the road until the driver of the bakkie lost control.

"During the incident, the (G4S) vehicle, lost its right front tyre but [the driver] still managed to get the vehicle to the nearby Kinkelbos police station.”

Beetge said after the alarm had been raised at the police station, backup was called and the area combed.

“The vehicle (Nissan) was found abandoned alongside the N2.

"If was damaged and could not be driven. It is unknown at this stage if the suspects fled into bushes or were transported by another vehicle,” he said.

Several automatic rifle rounds and hand gun rounds were found by police after the incident.

“We suspect that at least nine people were on the bakkie while it remains unknown how many were in the Polo.

"It is safe to say that there were more than 10 heavily armed suspects,” Beetge added.

“I can confirm that some spent automatic rifle cartridges have been found in the bakkie suggesting that this group was very heavily armed.”

By late Monday night, the forensic unit was scouring the area for clues. The abandoned bakkie has since been impounded for forensic and ballistic experts to analyse.

Motherwell Cluster Commander Major General Dawie Rabie said a team of detectives has been tasked to track down the culprits.

“We are relieved that none of the security personnel were injured in this incident and that no money was taken in this failed robbery by these suspects," he said.