A car with four occupants which was “tailing” a cash-in-transit vehicle for a “long time” was dramatically stopped by the police in Hemmingways and its occupants questioned for plotting to rob the vehicle.
Cambridge police spokesperson Captain Mluleki Mbi said the car was stopped by multiple police units at 5pm at the traffic circle near the entrance of the busy mall.
The incident caused panic with the Dispatch fielding calls from afternoon customers complaining about police shooting a man. However both the SAPS and the mall denied that there was a shooting.
Captain Mbi said: “ No shots were fired, all police units responded swiftly after we received a call about a car following around a G4s security cash-in-transit for a long time.” At 18.30 on Thursday, Mbi said: “ They are still questioning them at the scene.”
Hemmingways general manager Reinette Van Tonder described the incident as an attempted cash-in-transit. “ There was an incident in Two Rivers Drive involving the SAPS arresting five suspects and two extra (suspects) fled the scene. Apparently it was an attempted CIT vehicle robbery.”
Van Tonder praised SAPS for a swift response. “No doubt that SAPS reacted swiftly because they have a satellite police station at Hemingways Mall.”
Van Tonder added that: “The target was an SG4 cash in transit vehicle.”..