What to do when witnessing a cash-in-transit robbery

Cash in transit (CIT) incidents appear to again be on the increase, with the Cash In Transit Association of SA reporting a total of 17 CIT heists across the country since the start of the year. The latest of these were reported in Cape Town this past Tuesday, at the N7 offramp along the N1 inbound close to Goodwood.

If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of a CIT robbery, it is extremely important that you make your personal safety a priority. ​

Wahl Bartmann, CEO of the Fidelity Services Group and a specialist in the sector provides the following important safety tips. He says it starts with trying to put as much distance between your vehicle and the crime scene.

• Do not exit your vehicle as you could get caught in the crossfire. Try to vacate the area if possible.
• Never approach perpetrators of a cash in transit as they are armed and dangerous.
• Do not place yourself in danger which is inevitable. Criminals may react irrationally when seeing you. Avoid any form of eye or physical contact.
• If caught in the vicinity of a CIT robbery make sure that you do not switch off your vehicle in case you need to escape the incident. Keep your engine running at all times.
• Share videos that you have taken with the authorities rather than posting them on social media. This could assist with the apprehension of the criminals. Posting on your social media channels which get shared broadly, may in fact jeopardise the case.
• Immediately notify the police. Contact SAPS when you find yourself in a CIT heist but, remember that it is always about your safety first. The SAPS contact number for emergencies is 10111.
• If you are at a shopping centre and witness a cross-pavement heist near an ATM, the same advice applies. If you are not in your car keep as much distance between yourself and the perpetrators as possible. Rather lie flat on the floor to avoid being caught in the crossfire if any shots are fired. Again, notify the authorities or centre management as quickly as possible.

“Remember, these syndicates are highly trained and dangerous so caution has to be exercised,” says Bartmann.

Ends

Issued by HWB Communications Pty Ltd