By IOL
KwaZulu-Natal police have launched a manhunt for cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers who allegedly shot and killed a woman in Umlazi on Monday evening.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said police are searching for an unknown number of suspects in connection with a cash-in-transit robbery, murder, and attempted murder that happened on the Umbogintwini Bridge on the M35 pass, Philani Valley in Umlazi.
“Information has revealed that the cash-in-transit armored vehicle had just collected money from a grocery chain store and was driving on the M35 when it came under attack by reportedly heavily armed suspects,” Netshiunda said.
He said police officers from the Public Order Policing unit in Durban who were on duty travelling in a combi, drove into the active cash-in-transit crime scene unaware and were ambushed by the suspects.
“One police officer sustained a gunshot wound on the foot and the rest of the officers tactically took cover under heavy gunfire.”
Netshiunda said the suspects reportedly fired several random shots and one woman, who was a passenger in a vehicle, suffered fatal gunshot wounds while another person was rushed to hospital with a gunshot injury.
“The suspects reportedly fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.”
The officers realized they had driven into a CIT heist when they saw a G4S vehicle which had allegedly been blown up by the attackers about 400m from them.
The robbers allegedly managed to get away with an undisclosed amount of money.
One of the police officers was shot in the right foot and was taken to hospital.
The police vehicle was severely damaged and riddled with bullet holes.