Security officers under fire during two fuel station bombings in Hartbeespoort
The ATM at Sasol Schurveberg was destroyed in the blast.
Security officers miraculously escaped with their lives after coming under fire from a gang of armed robbers who bombed drop-safes and ATMs at two fuel stations in Hartbeespoort over the weekend.
Drop-safes and ATMs were bombed at the Sasol fuel station on the R512 in Broederstroom on Friday and the Sasol fuel station at Saartjiesnek on Monday morning.
In both cases, security vehicles on patrol surprised the robbers and they opened fire.
On Friday morning around 01:00, a security officer survived a hail of bullets when ATM bombers opened fire. The security officer of SRU Strategic Response Rescue Unit was on patrol when he came across an ATM bombing in progress at the fuel station in Broederstroom.
“One of our patrol vehicles was on patrol near the T Junction of the R512 and Lanseria Road when he was ambushed. “The armed response vehicle came under serious fire, originating from the direction of the Sasol fuel station. The patrol officer identified two assailants who continued to discharge firearms at the vehicle. The officer skilfully manoeuvred the vehicle out of the line of fire and promptly called for backup before again approaching the scene,” said Arthur Crew of SRU.
However, the suspects had fled into the surrounding dark bush. The suspects had already bombed the fuel station’s drop-safe and an ATM and were presumably on their way to bomb a second ATM on the premises when the security vehicle drove past. Hartbeespoort police arrived on the scene soon after.
Two employees were injured during the attack on the fuel station. “We treated one employee and he was taken to hospital by an ambulance. Another was assaulted by the robbers and had luckily sustained minor injuries,” Crewe said. “Despite the intensity of the confrontation, our security officer was luckily not seriously injured.”
SRU members initiated an extensive area search, but the suspects had escaped.
On Monday at about 00:20, a gang of armed robbers hit the Sasol fuel station at Schurveberg. A security officer of Aequitas Security, patrolling in the area, heard an explosion and drove to the fuel station. “He parked his vehicle a distance away and approached the scene on foot to investigate. However, the suspects saw him and opened fire. He called for backup which arrived quickly but the suspects had fled into the dark bush,” said Ettienne Louw of Aequitas. The drop-safe and ATM had been bombed and the fuel station sustained serious damage. No one was injured. Atteridgeville and Hartbeespoort police were on the scene.
Crewe said ongoing vigilance and collaboration between law enforcement structures remain paramount in safeguarding against similar threats in the future.