IPID Releases 1st Report Into Rosettenville Foiled CIT Heist, More Than 10 Stolen Cars Recovered
- The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has released the first report into the shootout between the police and alleged cash-in-transit criminals
- The report looks into how the police received information about the gang of robbers and the actions that were carried out
- IPID has discovered at least five crime scenes and a former South African military personnel was discovered at the third scene
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JOHANNESBURG - The first report into the deadly shootout between members of the South African Police Service, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department and a gang of cash-in-transit robbers has been released.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has found that there are at least five crime scenes in connection to the police encounter with robbers in the suburb of Rosettenville in Johannesburg South.
Source: Twitter
According to IOL, 10 alleged robbers and one police officer were killed in the shootout. Approximately 10 high-performance cars were recovered by the police as well as military and police-grade weapons.
In the IPID report, it has been revealed that a number of police agencies received tip-offs about the gang's plans to commit a cash-in-transit heist. With this information, police officers were able to intercept the robbers before the crime could be committed.
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The police descended onto the scene in multiple police vehicles as well as helicopters. The operation took a couple of days of planning before the ambush on Monday, 21 February. The shooting began after the alleged robbers spotted the police helicopter and fired shots.
“The chopper was hovering above the safe house while other members took positions on the ground. When the suspects noticed the chopper, they started shooting at the police chopper and the police in the chopper retaliated by shooting back at the suspects," according to Grace Langa, IPID spokesperson.
The police who were stationed outside the house the alleged robbers were in also began to fire shots when the suspects fired shots at them. Langa says a number of the suspects tried to flee the scene either on foot or in cars while others jumped over walls into neighbouring properties.
Stolen cars and guns recovered at crime scenes
The IPID report states that a number of luxury cars ranging from Audi's, Ranger Rover, Mercedes-Benz, BMW were recovered by the police. Other vehicles such as a Quantum, VW Polo, Toyota Hilux, Max Corolla, Toyota Etios and Ford Ranger were also found on the crime scenes.
The cars are said to have been fitted with fake number plates and were all stolen property. Weapons such as AK-47, explosives, assault rifles and detonators were recovered
IPID has also indicated that a former South African military officer was found on the third crime scene along with one assault rifle, four magazines loaded with 117 live rounds and two spent cartridges of rifle ammunition, according to TimesLIVE.
South Africans say the police should be rewarded
@Koko_Mmakgabo said:
"The Rosettenville crime scene has prudently proved that SAPS has a great capacity to eradicate and uproot crime in the country. Those officers injured we put them through our prayers and wishing them a speedy recovery. God heal them. @SebeNkambule @Powerfm987 #POWERPerspective"
@Mditshwer said:
"The guys who escaped in Rosettenville heist (whether from KZN or Zimbabwe) will never do the crime again in their lives. SAPS has shown the other side of things. #Rosettenville #CITRobbery"
Rosettenville residents share experiences of foiled CIT heist and police shootout that killed 10
Briefly News previously reported that yesterday (22 February) at 50 Friars Hill Road, Rosettenville, residents gathered to speak about a cash-in-transit heist foiled by the South African Police Service (SAPS) the previous day that resulted in a shootout at the location.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) confirmed that one SAPS officer and eight suspects succumbed to fatal gunshot wounds sustained in the incident. One of the deceased men had previously served in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
According to TimesLIVE, residents claim that six different families live at the house, including the family of the gang leader. Parts of the house were damaged by bullets fired during the incident.
Source: Briefly News
