In a high-stakes operation, Eastern Cape police intercepted and neutralised two armed suspects on Monday, 11 November 2024, near the Mhlakulo administrative area outside Tsolo.
Story Summary:
- Eastern Cape police intercepted two armed suspects near Tsolo, preventing a planned cash-in-transit heist.
- The suspects opened fire, leading to a shootout in which both were fatally wounded.
- Police recovered two unlicensed firearms, and IPID has opened an inquiry as part of the investigation.
Would-be Tsolo cash-in-transit robbers killed in police shootout
Acting on precise intelligence, members of the Tactical Response Team (TRT) successfully prevented an imminent cash-in-transit robbery, putting a halt to the suspects’ criminal mission in dramatic fashion.
The swift police response was reportedly triggered by information linking the suspects to previous cash-in-transit heists across the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
According to Eastern Cape police, authorities received a tip-off regarding the suspects’ location and their planned route towards Mthatha, prompting immediate action.
With the suspects travelling along the N2 highway in a Polo Vivo, TRT members moved quickly to intercept the vehicle before it could reach its intended target.
As the TRT officers signalled the suspects to pull over, the situation escalated when gunfire erupted from within the vehicle.
“The suspects opened fire on the officers without hesitation,” a provincial spokesperson revealed.
TRT members were forced to respond, resulting in a brief yet intense shootout on the roadside.
The confrontation ended with both suspects fatally wounded at the scene.
A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of two unlicensed firearms—a pistol and a revolver—along with ammunition.
Police later confirmed that the suspects had been previously implicated in similar cash-in-transit cases in the region.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has launched an inquiry into the shootout, as is standard protocol for incidents involving police action that results in fatalities
