Cash-in-Transit Heists: SAPS Reveals Profile of Who the Heist Crew Members Are and Roles They Play

• Cash-in-transit heists are on the increase and the South African Police Service has put out a profile of a cash-in-transit heist crew
• These include the packers, rammers and those responsible for the firearms and bombing
• Fidelity CEO Wahl Bartmann also gave tips on what to do if caught in the vicinity of a heist

Cash-in-transit heists are on the rise, and according to Fidelity CEO Wahl Bartmann, the private security sector is fighting a battle which he compares to terrorism.

But who are the leading players in a cash-in-transit heist, and what should you do if you find yourself near a cash-in-transit heist as it happens? Briefly News spoke to SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe and Bartmann on who the key players in a CIT heist are and what to do if you’re unfortunate enough to be caught near one.

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Who are the people involved in a heist?

TimesLIVE reported that 64 CIT heists happened between January and March 2023 alone. According to Mathe, the police have a database of over 150 CIT suspects, many of whom are repeat offenders.

But a team of cash-in-transit criminals remains the same. Mathe revealed that the average cash-in-transit heist requires 10 to 20 people and is planned over months. Mathe remarked that the crews have intel on which vans to hit and when to hit them.

1. Drivers

Any CIT heist requires an excellent driver to ram into the cash vehicle and a few other drivers who will serve as the getaway drivers. Mathe pointed out that a CIT heist crew uses hijacked vehicles to ram into the targeted vehicle and escape from the scene.

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2. Shooter

The next member of the crew is the shooter. The sub-shooter is the one who shoots at the cash van to get it to stop. This is usually a sharpshooter who knows how to handle military weapons.

3. Explosives expert

A CIT heist crew has someone who specialises in explosives. Mathe emphasised that these are usually experts who know the charge needed and where to place the explosives once the vehicle has been rammed into and shot at for it to stop.

4. Packers

The next members of the crew are the packers. Once the explosives expert bombs open the vehicle, the packers rush in to fetch the money and pack it into the getaway cars before they flee the scene.

What to do when caught near a CIT heist

Fidelity’s CEO, Wahl Bartmann, offered tips on what to do if one is near a cash-in-transit heist.

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1. Call the cops

Immediately notify the police. Never approach perpetrators of a cash-in-transit heist as they are armed and dangerous.

2. Be careful when recording videos or taking pics

While videos and photographs from your phone can be helpful, you could be at risk if the suspects see you filming. Share the videos with the authorities instead of rushing to post them on social media, as posting them jeopardises the case.

3. Don’t get out your car

Avoid getting out of your car. Put as much distance as possible between you and the scene and keep your car running in case you need to escape. Try to vacate the area if possible.

Cops search for N12 CIT heist suspects

In a similar article, Briefly News reported that police are on the manhunt for suspects involved in a cash-in-transit heist in early October on the N12 in Johannesburg.

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The police noted that the suspects hijacked and kidnapped a woman on the scene before escaping with the money. Fidelity CEO Wahl Bartmann slammed the cops for taking too long to respond to the scene.

Source: Briefly News