08 March 2017•Update: 09 March 2017
By Hassan Isilow
JOHANNESBURG
Robbers posing as police officers have stolen millions of dollars in an overnight heist at South Africa’s busiest airport, OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, local media have reported.
South Africa’s Times newspaper said the heist took place after the fake police officers stopped security personnel transporting cash to an awaiting flight bound for London on Tuesday night.
The exact amount of money stolen has not been disclosed, but local reports quote sources estimating it to be anywhere between $1.8 million to as much as $15 million.
Hangwani Mulaudzi, spokesman of South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation also known as the Hawks, confirmed the robbery to Anadolu Agency Wednesday but did not divulge further details.
He said police had launched an investigation and further details would be released in a media statement.
The Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) has also confirmed the robbery in a short statement.
"No shots were fired and no injuries have been reported‚" it said.
Acsa, which operates nine of South Africa’s airports, said the investigation was still at an early stage.
Eleven years ago, robbers made off with R100 million (approximately $13 million) from OR Tambo Airport after robbing a plane transporting foreign currency.
OR Tambo is Africa’s busiest airport. It serviced 20 million passengers in 2016.
