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Criminals are winning the war in South Africa
Chief executive of Fidelity Wahl Bartmann says that private security is losing the war against cash-in-transit (CIT) heists in South Africa, with thefts becoming more frequent, and perpetrators more violent.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, the executive said that 250 CIT heists have been recorded this year so far, and criminals are turning to more violent means to get access to the money.
He said that they appear to be highly organised, potentially ex-military, and are using armour-penetrating gunfire on top of bombings to execute the heists.
Security guards are under constant threat – many of lost their lives, and many more have been injured – with little support from the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Instead, private security companies are now bearing the cost – both monetary and in life – of the activity, which is proving overwhelming.
Bartmann said the failures are compounded by the fact that the criminal justice system is not aprehending those involved. Many hijackers caught are repeat offenders who escaped justice through poorly-handled investigations and prosecutions.
The depth of the heists also imply that the criminals have police informants working with them – although Bartmann conceded that private security officials may also be involved.
He said the war is being lost because CIT heists have become the norm in South Africa, and even with all the data and information at hand, there is no support.
“Currently, the will is not there,” he said.
Cash in transit heists in South Africa
In the latest SAPS crime stats for the first quarter of the year – April to June 2023 – the police recorded 60 cases of cash-in-transit heists in just three months.
Notably, the SAPS has a different definition of CIT crime – it only considers it CIT if the security companies involved have taken over control of the money, and discount criminal activity at handover or collection. Security companies and risk groups like Sabric do not have that limitation.
Therefore, the official number could be much higher.
Regardless, the number CIT heist recorded over the quarter is the same as the quarter one in 2022, but much higher than those recorded in preceding quarters.
Reflecting comments made by Fidelity, bombings were used in most cases, with security guards constantly under threat and in danger, the SAPS noted.
Most crimes took place in the Eastern Cape, KZN, Limpopo and Gauteng.
source:Criminals are winning the war in South Africa – BusinessTech
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