5 armed robbers shot dead by police in South Africa
Police share details on movie-style exchange of gunfire
By Staff Reporter
Five armed robbers were shot dead on Monday by South African police in a movie-style reaction to a robbery incident targeting a cash-in-transit vehicle in the Eastern Cape.
The Hawks, a South African Police Service branch specialising in combatting special crime, however did not have it easy as they were caught in a fierce exchange of gunfire after they had cornered the suspects at their hide-out.
Hours before, the suspects allegedly ambushed an armoured cash-in-transit vehicle which was driving on the N6 from East London to Stutterheim at 6am.
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Three guards were injured as the armoured vehicle landed on its side during the attack. An SBV escort vehicle was also shot at.
The suspects sped off with an undisclosed amount of cash and abandoned three vehicles from their fleet.
It later turned out the vehicles had been stolen from other provinces.
Police discovered some explosives from the scene.
Police were led to Kom location in a homestead in Keiskammahoek where they faced stiff resistance from the armed gang.
“The team was received with a hail of bullets from the assailants in the suspicious homestead and the police were forced to retaliate with the same force which ended with five of the assailants fatally wounded,” Hawks spokesperson Capt Yolisa Mgolodela said.
