Gauteng police have recovered seven rifles, a pistol, a hijacked BMW X5 and other equipment believed to have been intended for a cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery after raiding a suspected gang safe house in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni.
The operation, carried out on Wednesday evening by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), followed intelligence linking the suspects to a number of serious and violent crimes committed across Gauteng.
Although the suspected gang members managed to flee before officers arrived, police have launched an intensive manhunt to locate and arrest them.
According to SAPS, intelligence officers, detectives and EMPD members acted on information about the group’s movements before descending on the property.
A search of the premises uncovered seven rifles, one pistol, reflector jackets and a hijacked BMW X5. Investigators believe the gang was preparing to execute another cash-in-transit robbery before law enforcement disrupted the alleged operation.
The Acting National Commissioner of SAPS, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, praised the coordinated operation, saying it demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-driven policing.
She commended members of Gauteng SAPS and EMPD for preventing what could have been another violent robbery targeting a cash-in-transit vehicle.
“This intelligence driven operation is a clear indication that the SAPS remains resolute in its mission to combat cash in transit robberies and other serious and violent crimes. We have made significant inroads in dismantling CIT syndicates, and we will continue to deal decisively with those who terrorise our communities and endanger the lives of innocent citizens,” Dimpane said.
Cash in transit robberies remain among South Africa’s most sophisticated forms of organised crime. The attacks are typically planned well in advance and involve heavily armed suspects using high-powered rifles, stolen or hijacked vehicles and military-style tactics to ambush armoured cash vehicles. Gauteng has consistently remained one of the province’s most affected by these robberies because of its dense road network, high volume of cash movements and concentration of commercial activity.
The latest SAPS quarterly crime statistics, covering January to March 2026, show that robbery of cash in transit remains one of the priority aggravated robberies monitored by police. Nationally, SAPS has reported a continued downward trend in CIT robberies over recent reporting periods, attributing the decline to intelligence-led operations, specialised task teams and improved coordination between law enforcement agencies.
Despite the decline, police have repeatedly warned that CIT gangs remain heavily armed and extremely dangerous, often engaging officers in shootouts or using explosives to breach armoured vehicles. The crimes also pose significant risks to motorists and bystanders caught in the crossfire.
Dimpane warned that law enforcement agencies were strengthening their intelligence capabilities and closing in on syndicates responsible for the attacks.
“Cash in transit robberies are highly organised and violent crimes that require a coordinated response from law enforcement. Our intelligence capabilities continue to improve, and we are closing in on those responsible. We will hunt them down, arrest them and ensure they face the full might of the law,” she said.
Investigators are processing the recovered firearms and the hijacked BMW for forensic examination to determine whether they are linked to previous cash-in-transit robberies, vehicle hijackings or other violent crimes.
Police have not disclosed how many suspects are being sought, but confirmed that more arrests are expected as the manhunt continues.
SAPS urged anyone with information on the whereabouts of the fleeing suspects to contact the Crime Stop hotline or their nearest police station as investigations continue
