ROBBERS yesterday pounced movie-style on the business
premises of two top Harare businessmen, Tawanda Nyambirai and Rodney
Dangarembizi, getting away with more than US$200 000, cellphones and jewellery,
the Daily News reports.
This happened as cases of armed robbery and carjacking are
on the increase across the country — amid Zimbabwe’s worsening economic rot and
the concomitant breakdown in respect for the law.
Confirming the two frightening robberies last night,
national police spokesperson Paul Nyathi told the Daily News that law
enforcement agents were hot on the trail of the bandits.
“We confirm that we are investigating two robbery cases
that occurred along Collins Avenue in Borrowdale, Harare.
“The robbers, who were using a Toyota Fortuner as a getaway
car, initially went to the first company where they looked for its employees
before they took two cars — a Hyundai pick-up truck and a Toyota Corrolla, cash
amounting to US$37 000, jewellery and 13 cellphones.
“The robbers were plus or minus eight, who were all armed.
They then went onto the next company where they took an undisclosed amount of
money,” Nyathi said.
“There are concerns that information could have been leaked
to the criminals because they targeted safes at the two places,” he added.
Nyathi also revealed that the robberies had taken place
between 10am and 11am yesterday — with two of the stolen cars recovered later
near Mazowe Hotel, in Mashonland Central.
So bad were the
attacks on one of the premises that Dangarembizi was left requiring medical
attention, after he was viciously attacked by the callous bandits.
“They were armed with guns. They took a television, two
cars, jewellery and designer clothes. They also went to a neighbour’s premises
and stole some items as well.
“We were, however, told that the two cars were recovered in
Mazowe after we advised the police, who raised notifications.
“They assaulted us with bolt cutters and broke our legs,”
Dangarembizi told the Daily News over the phone, while waiting for an ambulance
to take him to hospital.
Nyambirai told the Daily News that the robbers had fled
away with US$180 000 from his premises.
“It was an armed robbery. They robbed a safe that had
around US$180 000,” he said.
This comes as robbery incidents continue to make headlines
across the country, with police also battling to deal with home break-ins, car
smash-and-grabs, as well as car hijackings.
Early this month, gunfire ripped through Makoni Shopping
Centre in Chitungwiza, leaving illegal forex dealers scurrying for cover, as
armed robbers got away with wads of cash and a motor vehicle, in another
movie-style attack that rocked the dormitory town.
Yesterday’s incident was preceded by another US$400 000
robbery at a security company in Waterfalls, also in Harare — amid suspicions
that this was an inside job involving employees.
According to police,
the stolen money was in a cash box which went missing from the company’s vault.
“The cash box was later recovered outside the company
premises without the money,” Nyathi said, adding that investigations were in
progress.
Meanwhile, police have also confirmed another robbery
incident which took place last Sunday in Mangwe, in Matabeleland South.
“On Sunday February 23, 2020 at about midnight, six unknown
male adults armed with an unidentified firearm, machetes and knives pounced on
a homestead at Emvalweni area, Mangwe.
“They fired gunshots, forced open the victim’s house and
tuck shop and stole various groceries and cash.
“The two victims were stabbed with a knife and were left
with hands and legs tied. The suspects are at large and investigations are in
progress,” Nyathi said.
He also said police were investigating another case of
robbery in Bulawayo, where a motorist was mugged and lost his Toyota Wish along
Nketa Drive, near Nketa 7.
“The two assailants stabbed the complainant, took control
of the vehicle, drove and dumped the complainant and two other victims near
Solusi turn-off, along Khami Road. The three victims were left with their hands
and legs tied together,” he said.
Most of the daring
robbers have been targeting foreign currency stashed within homes and company
premises.Daily News
0 comments:
Post a Comment