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JOHANNESBURG.- Armed robbers hit five British American Tobacco vehicles in separate incidents in Gauteng and the North West yesterday morning – and one robber was shot and wounded.

BAT South Africa confirmed to News24 reports of four of the robberies.

“Our security team has confirmed that all four incidents happened. There were no injuries and one suspect was shot and injured in Klerksdorp,” said a BAT official, who was not yet aware of the fifth robbery that apparently happened just after 14:00.

Gauteng police did not immediately have details of the incidents and North West police were not immediately reachable, but Crimeairnetwork tweeted on all five incidents.

The first apparently happened in Kathlehong, Germiston on Johannesburg’s East Rand.

Then a vehicle was hit in Buffelsfontein, Klerksdorp in the North West, where one robber was shot and wounded.

Another incident apparently happened at Princess Crossing shopping centre on Johannesburg’s West Rand, while a fourth vehicle was hit in Northwold, Randburg.

The centre’s management declined to give any information, referring all queries to Pick & Pay, but News24 was told the robbery did not happen on the shopping chain’s property and that the BAT truck was hit shortly after leaving its receiving lot.

Shortly after this was posted, another report came through of a vehicle hit in Randburg.

Just after 14:00, the fifth report came through, saying a BAT transporter was targeted in Germiston. – News24.