In a dramatic confrontation with law enforcement, two suspected cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers were killed, one was arrested, and the search continues for additional suspects involved in a recent heist.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday, June 4th, in the Phoenix area of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Police, including a specialized team from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, the Provincial Tracking and Tracing Team, the Tactical Response Team (TRT), and the K9 Unit, were searching for suspects believed to have carried out a CIT robbery in Kranskop the previous day.
After an extensive overnight search, the suspects were spotted in Tongaat early Tuesday morning. When the police attempted to intercept the suspects’ vehicle, a high-speed chase ensued, culminating in the vehicle crashing into a lamp post along the Phoenix Highway.
The suspects then exited the vehicle and opened fire on the police, prompting a shoot-out. Two of the suspects were fatally shot, one at the scene and the other inside a nearby residence, where he had fled while continuing to shoot at the officers.
Authorities recovered three rifles, a pistol, ammunition, and an undisclosed amount of cash from the suspects’ possession. One additional suspect was later arrested at a nearby apartment block, found to be suffering from gunshot wounds.
The search for any remaining suspects is ongoing, with police following blood trails into the surrounding bushes. While no officers were injured, a police vehicle was struck by the hail of bullets from the suspects.
Nearby hospitals and medical centers have been alerted to report any patients with suspected gunshot wounds to the police, as the investigation into this brazen CIT robbery and the resulting confrontation continues.
