The police in Limpopo have warned stokvel and social club beneficiaries against carrying large sums of money ahead of the festive season.
The warning comes after a 45-year-old victim was allegedly robbed at gunpoint of more than R200 000 by three suspects on Tuesday.
It is believed that the victim had withdrawn a large amount of money (R260 000) from the bank at the Mall of the North outside Polokwane when the robbers in a white Toyota Corolla pounced.
Shots were allegedly fired at the victim’s vehicle, but the victim managed to escape without being wounded.
The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, said: “I would like to encourage everyone to utilise electronic transactions to avoid being the victims of these kind of incidents.
“Criminals are ready to benefit from the hard-earned money from unsuspecting individuals or social groups, who by all means will become victims for physically risking their lives rather than applying safety measures.”
Police Minister Bheki Cele released third-quarter crime statistics on Wednesday which showed that violent crime is on the rise countrywide.
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