In an early morning raid that went awry, a group of robbers targeting an ATM at a fuel station in Broederstroom, North West, faced fierce resistance, resulting in the death of one suspect and injuries to others.
Broederstroom ATM bombing goes horribly wrong for alleged robber
The ordeal began shortly after midnight when residents near the Shell fuel station in Broederstroom heard three loud explosions.
According to reports, a group of assailants had targeted the station’s ATM in a daring robbery attempt. Security forces were quick to respond to the disturbance but were met with heavy gunfire upon approaching the scene.
A nearby team of SRU High-Risk Security officers, stationed merely 500 metres from the fuel station, rushed to intervene as the situation escalated.
However, their advancement was halted when they were ambushed by an unknown number of gunmen.
Arthur Crewe, a member of the SRU team, recounted the intense confrontation:
“All our vehicles were hit repeatedly. We returned fire. Three bullets hit me and we could not continue to the scene of the ATM bombing.”
Crewe shared these details on Wednesday morning while awaiting surgery at a hospital in Brits.
As the security officers grappled with their injuries, Aequitas Security was called in for backup.
During this time, two civilians caught in the crossfire were struck by bullets from the robbers’ guns. Tragically, one man was killed, and a woman sustained a gunshot wound.
Despite the fierce resistance, the robbers managed to detonate the ATM and escape with an undisclosed amount of cash. In the chaos that followed, the body of one suspected robber was found at the scene.
This is a developing story.
