Police Commissioner sends top team to investigate O.R. Tambo robbery

Spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said that once they had the facts they would “respond accordingly”.

“At this stage we don’t know what was stolen,” Mathe said.

Mathe said Phahlane made an assurance to South Africans that South African Police Service would do “everything possible” to get to the bottom ofthe incident

Asked whether she could confirm media reports that R24 million was stolen from a plane, Mathe said: “As to how much money exactly was stolen we cannot comment on.”

“Once we have the facts we will then call a press conference. At this stage, we know what happened, but can’t give out that information.”

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in Gauteng said they sent a commander to the scene.

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“None of our members were informed about the incident. We are aware now but we just want to confirm how much money,” Hawks Gauteng spokesperson Captain Ndivhuwo Mulama said.

The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) said they would release a statement.

Earlier, national Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed that a gang stole an undisclosed amount of money at the OR Tambo International Airport.

“I can confirm that there was a robbery at the airport,” Mulaudzi said.

“The matter is receiving serious attention from the law enforcement agencies in the country. We are not in a position to divulge the details pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Mulaudzi could not confirm the amount of money that was stolen.

In 2006, a heist at the then Johannesburg International Airport a gang of robbers made off with R100 million from a plane carrying foreign currency. Most of the gang were arrested and later convicted in 2012.