'Highly regrettable' that cop linked to OR Tambo heist

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Johannesburg - Acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane says the heist at OR Tambo International Airport was a result of security breaches, which also points towards an inside job. This comes after he announced that four people had been taken in for questioning over the robbery. Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday, Phahlane said two of the four men appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on charges of armed robbery. “The other two are currently being questioned. It is highly regrettable one of our own members is among the two. This confirms the possibility of a collusion and/or an inside job,” he said. Officers would face decisive action if found to have had a role in the multimillion-rand heist, he warned. A total of 27 parcels containing foreign currency were snatched when a group of armed robbers travelling in an SAPS-branded vehicle accessed a restricted section of the airport on March 7 and fled with the parcels, said to have been destined for London on an SAA flight.

Phahlane refused to disclose the sum of the foreign currency taken - reported to be around R24 million. The cash has not been recovered.

At the time, the Airports Company SA (Acsa) said security at the airport was increased and security guards were replaced when an armed robbery took place. “The management of Acsa are deeply concerned by this robbery and the manner in which it took place. We are working closely with law enforcement agencies to support the investigation and to establish what further measures will be taken.”

Acsa said a bakkie with “what appeared to be police markings” pulled up at a restricted access gate at about 7.23pm on March 7. The bakkie was followed by a white Ford Focus, and both cars had their sirens and blue lights activated.

“The vehicles were occupied by several armed men, some of whom were in SAPS uniforms. When asked to validate their credentials, the men produced firearms, rounded up security staff in the security checkpoint and ordered them to lie on the floor,” Acsa said.

Phahlane on Tuesday attributed the significant breakthrough in the investigation to the multidisciplinary team of the police and the Hawks, and relevant stakeholders. He congratulated the SAPS members for the arrests, which he said had been driven by crime intelligence, not tip-offs from the public.

“We are not solely dependent on tip-offs. Maybe you [media] should also start by congratulating crime intelligence [unit] for having worked hard in gathering intelligence which led us to be successful in apprehending some of those that were involved. It was not tip-offs based but based on intelligence,” said Phahlane.

“Our people and the nation were justified in the outcry and the condemnation of the security breaches which manifested themselves at OR Tambo, a national key point. We have resolved, as law enforcement agencies, to work hard to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.”

He said more arrests were likely to be made.

Phahlane said police officers are not escaping scrutiny as the net closes in on the armed robbers from the national key point.

“As the South African Police Service we would like to reiterate our stance that if we find that any of our members had a role to play, we will take decisive action. Our investigations continue and further court appearances and arrests are likely to be made,” he said.

“The SA Police Service would like to reassure all South Africans that we are committed to security our ports of entry and preventing and combating serious crimes of this nature.”

Asked about the detained police officer’s details including his/her station, Phahlane declined to give further details.

“Allow me at this stage to not disclose the details of this person until a point where the questioning is concluded. I can’t tell you about the station and so on,” said Phahlane.

The suspects face charges of armed robbery.

“There is no charge which is a heist. That is what is being pursued in this instance,” said Phahlane.

Pressed for further details regarding the suspects, the police chief also revealed that the two who appeared in court are “African males”.

“I am not going to profile their finer details at this stage,” he said.

The Star and African News Agency