With cash-in-transit heists becoming more common and more brazen, motorists have to be able to safeguard themselves if they happen to find themselves caught in a heist.
CEO of Fidelity Services Group, Wahl Bartmann, said cash heist syndicates are highly trained and dangerous.
“Caution has to be exercised,” he said.
He has offered tips to safeguard yourself if you’re ever caught in a cash heist:
- When observing a cash-in-transit incident, try to put as much distance between your vehicle and the crime scene as possible.
- Do not exit your vehicle, as you could get caught in the crossfire. Try to vacate the area if possible.
- Never approach perpetrators of cash-in-transit heists, as they are armed and dangerous. Always remember your own personal safety first.
- Do not place yourself in danger, which is inevitable.
- If caught in the vicinity of a CIT robbery, make sure that you do not switch off your vehicle in case you need to escape the incident. Keep your engine running at all times.
- Share videos that you have taken with the authorities rather than posting them on social media. This could assist with the apprehension of the criminals. Posting on your social media channels, which get shared broadly, may in fact jeopardise the case.
- Also remember that while videos and photographs from your phone can be useful, they could put you at risk if they inadvertently make you a target.
- Immediately notify the police. Contact SAPS when you find yourself in a CIT heist, but remember that it is always about your safety first. The SAPS contact number for emergencies is 10111.
- If you are at a shopping centre and witness a cross-pavement heist near an ATM, the same advice applies. If you are not in your car, keep as much distance between yourself and the perpetrators as possible. Rather, lie flat on the floor to avoid being caught in the crossfire if any shots are fired. Again, notify the authorities or centre management as quickly as possible.
IOL