Thokoza Armed Robbery Shakes Community: 13-Year-Old Girl Hit by Stray Bullet During Incident

• The South African Police Service in Thokoza seek public assistance in a cash-in-transit robbery investigation
• A 13-year-old girl was injured in the shootout during an armed robbery on Saturday, 27 December 2025
• The suspects then disarmed the security guards and detonated explosives

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

GAUTENG - Police have called on residents of Thokoza in Ekurhuleni to assist with information that could lead to the arrest of suspects linked to a cash-in-transit robbery.

13-Year-old girl struck by stray bullet

The robbery took place on Saturday, 27 December 2025, when a group of suspects arrived at the scene in four vehicles. One of the vehicles, a white Mercedes-Benz, was used to ram the cash-in-transit van, causing it to overturn. The suspects then disarmed the security guards and detonated explosives on the armoured vehicle.

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According to Gauteng SAPS spokesperson Mavela Masondo, the suspects fled with an unknown amount of money after opening the vehicle and also fired shots at the escort car during their escape. During the incident, a 13-year-old girl was struck by a stray bullet and rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Police have launched a manhunt, and the suspects remain at large.

Other cash-in-transit heists

A brazen cash-in-transit (CIT) heist on the N11 in broad daylight is still fresh in the mind of one motorist. One guard was killed, and two others were injured when an armed gang attacked a CIT van travelling between Ladysmith and Newcastle. While the men responsible for the crime are long gone, the harrowing incident is something one resident won’t forget in a hurry.

An attack on a cash-in-transit (CIT) van in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni, has left homeowners reeling and at least one guard injured. A brazen gang attacked the van in the afternoon of Monday, 28 July 2025, bombing it up to get to the cash inside. Mahoro Street, where the incident took place, had to be cordoned off as the bomb unit searched the area for any signs of explosives.

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Two lives lost as taxi hits stationary vehicle on N3 in KZN

The South African Police Service is on the hunt for suspects who committed a cash-in-transit (CIT) heist in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on 31 March 2025. A video of the incident went viral. The incident occurred on the M25 in KwaMashu. X user Vico posted a video of the dramatic heist on his @vico_dbn X account. In the four-minute-long video, shots are fired. A CIT vehicle is shown driving off-road. Suddenly, a group of men swarm toward it. Cars on the highway have stopped, and passengers run out to escape the horrific scene. A shootout ensues. Moments later, the robbers made off with money bags from the vehicle.

Laudium shootout with CIT suspects leaves 6 dead

In a related article, Briefly News reported that six suspected CIT heist robbers were killed in Laudium, Tshwane, on 24 February 2025.

The incident happened while they were on their way to commit a heist. The police received information about their intended criminal activity, and they stopped them while they were still at the safehouse. One culprit was arrested, and several others escaped.

Source: Briefly News