Eights suspected criminals, who were allegedly about to commit a cash-in-transit heist, were killed in a shoot-out with police on Monday night.
The incident took place in Town Two, Khayelitsha.
Western Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said a multidisciplinary team comprising of members from the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as Hawks), intelligence operatives, Special Task Force members, security company officials were following up on vital information about a possible cash in transit robbery.
“As the team approached the suspects, the would-be robbers started firing shots at police who retaliated. As a consequence eight suspects were shot dead and five were arrested,” said Potelwa.
Potelwa said police seized seven AK 47 rifles, two R5 rifles, four other types of firearms, three improvised explosive chargers and numerous magazines filled with rounds of ammunition.
Potelwa said the Hawks were investigating further.
The five suspects are expected to appear in court soon.
In another incident last week, five suspected cash-in-transit robbers were killed in shoot-out with police hours after carrying out a brazen heist on an armoured vehicle in the Eastern Cape.
The incident took place on the N6.
The Hawks said the SBV armoured vehicle had been travelling from East London to Stutterheim when they were ambushed by gun-toting robbers travelling in a fleet of vehicles.
Robbers made of with an undisclosed amount of money.
Police then received information about the suspects at a homestead in Keiskammahoek.
They were met with a hail of bullets and retaliated leaving five suspects dead.
Police recovered the money.
IOL News