Targeted vans in shameless robberies in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG (AP) – Criminal gangs in South Africa have increased attacks on security trucks carrying large amounts of money

Some viewers are able to film urban attacks, often by day, and post images on social media, magnifying concerns in a country fighting a high rate of violent crime.

Other efforts to tackle heavily armed gangs, whose members seem to have specific roles: shooter, watchman, driver.

"It's almost as if everyone had a skill," said Yusuf Abramjee, a South African activist. . "These people are hitting with military precision."

They could get help from rogue police, and local media reported the possible use of stolen military weapons in some cases of theft.

There were 75 attacks on vehicles carrying species. Kalyani Pillay, CEO of the South African Banking Risk Information Center (SABRIC), said this year, compared with 31 for the same period in 2017. Just under 40% of the attacks were thwarted. Two civilians, a police officer, five guards and nine suspects were killed in this year's robberies and another 93 people were injured, Pillay said. 2017, according to Pillay. She declined to say how much, even though the amount is estimated to be at least several million dollars.

Unions representing workers involved in the transportation of money organized protests in major cities in June for more protection at work. "Stop bombarding our crates," reading a sign during a march in Cape Town

A parliamentary committee held a hearing on the attacks.

Meanwhile, the rate of attacks against security guards carrying For example, a company and a vehicle have fallen.

This suggests that criminal organizations are looking for more vehicles on the road because they are likely to bring in more loot – and that thieves think they can get some of it – partly firepower . Security experts say the police, whose response was sometimes dull in the past, is more proactive.

Heist's methods have varied over the years. In 1997, thieves in Bronkhorstspruit dragged a chain of crampons on a highway to block a pickup truck and killed two guards. The shot recalled a scene in the 1995 film "Heat" in which a gang uses a band of crampons to thwart the police chase after stealing an armored car.

Today, burglar teams in South Africa can include 10 to 15 people. blow up armored security vehicles with commercial explosives possibly diverted from the mining industry. The teams seem comfortable to move in overcrowded areas.

The video of an attack on security trucks in May in Boksburg, near Johannesburg, shows a man with a long rifle, apparently a vigil, kneeling at an intersection. An explosion is heard and gunshots crackle. A couple of motorists made U-turns to escape the scene.

A separate video of the same attack, filmed from what appears to be a car showroom at the same intersection, shows smoke rising after an explosion. Three shots are heard

"Oh my god, look how many of them are coming out," says a woman as suspects emerge from a car.

A third video of the afternoon shows a security van and badly damaged bank notes.

During raids last week, police arrested a policewoman who allegedly stored weapons used in the Boksburg holdup, as well as her 32-year-old boyfriend. Nearly two dozen people were arrested in raids

Among gangs involved in such cases, there are people from neighboring countries, including Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. "Including car hijacking, illegal gun sales and police corruption.Security companies, meanwhile, can do more with the technology, including the dye that colors the money. "There is a robbery or a foam that automatically covers money." According to Abramjee, the anti-crime activist, it is estimated that about 200 people are in the forefront. guard of attacks in South Africa, said a security company in response to questions from the Associated Press Press There have been 27 attacks against vans of the Fidelity Security group this year and a little under the Half were "successfully defended," according to the statement, "Four employees were killed and 55 were injured."

The company said it spent millions of dollars to improve vehicles, increase training and take other measures against the threat.air, the modus op Criminals erandi also evolves, "said Fidelity.

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