At 07:45pm on Tuesday, the 8th of March 2017, Jozi’s OR Tambo International Airport experienced a gutsy heist. Robbers rushed into stealing a speculated R24-million, apart from other goods. Thankfully, no gun shots fired and no injuries were reported, as a result of the incident.

The cars pulled-up at a restricted access gate at OR Tambo International Airport. The vehicles possessed sirens activated with blue lights, as well as highlighted with police markings. When stationed at the access gate, it was noticed that the armed perpetrators, inside the ‘police vehicle’, were camouflaged in SAPS uniform. The police-identity portrayed by the perpetrators were broken, after they were asked to reveal their identification documents. The robbers then forced the security staff to lie and removed an undisclosed amount of cash from a sealed container.

Since the swindle, the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has been strengthening Airport security. With efforts from the South African Police Services (SAPS), two of the involved motor vehicles were caught on the following Wednesday in Mamelodi, East of Pretoria. According to ACSA, it was discovered that the ‘bakkie’ was redesigned to look like an official police vehicle.

Since the attack on Jozi’s Airport, ACSA management expressed sentiment of concern about the robbery and they way in which the event unfolded.

ACSA has ensured that they are currently working attentively with various law enforcement agencies, in order to help support the heist’s investigation and find further solutions and measures to be taken.