The two
suspects reportedly bundled up workers at Crystal Lounge and locked them up in
a room before ransacking the establishment and getting away with US$4 300.
To cover their
tracks, they locked the premises as they left, creating the illusion that the
club, which also includes Zarah Lounge, was not yet open for business.
The
drama-filled scenario, which could easily be mistaken for an action-packed
movie, saw various police sections in Bulawayo springing into action on Sunday
morning, and the operation lasted beyond noon.
Police
responded to a call from the club owner, Mr Phathisani Nkomo, who had received
a distress call from one of his workers before his phone went dead.
First at the
scene was the CID homicide department, who were armed with assault rifles and
pistols and garbed in bulletproof vests.
They assessed
the situation before calling in the canine division and Police Special Tactics
(PSTT).
The stretch
along Robert Mugabe from 9th to 11th Avenues was temporarily cordoned off as
police planned on making their way into the premises.
The tactical
unit executed their mission with precision, breaking the padlock outside the
club’s entrance. They quickly scaled the wall, moving onto the roof to gain a
vantage point, allowing them to monitor the situation below and strategise on
how to apprehend the robbers.
It was a tense
scene, reminiscent of an action thriller, as they prepared to act.
At
approximately 9:41am, a Chronicle news crew witnessed the unfolding drama as
officers surrounded the building, meticulously assessing the situation while
ensuring the safety of the hostages inside.
The heavily
armed police eventually entered the premises and emerged moments later with the
six hostages, eliciting cheers from the onlookers who had gathered across the
street.
However, the
intense hostage situation ended with an anti-climactic twist as the police
determined that the robbers had successfully escaped.
After hours of
building tension, the armed officers eventually dispersed from the scene.
The drama
unfolded when the alleged gun-toting robbers stormed the nightspot, locked
employees inside, and confiscated their phones.
“One
quick-thinking staffer who was in the toilet managed to alert his boss,
sparking a rapid response from armed police,” said a witness.
The six
terrified hostages were rescued after officers breached the premises. They
were, thereafter, taken in for questioning.
The incident,
which has raised alarm in the city, was confirmed by national police
spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
“I can confirm
there was a robbery incident in Bulawayo’s CBD, which all our police sections
reacted to.
“It is of note
that upon arrival, the suspects had already fled the scene, leaving the
hostages locked up,” said Comm Nyathi.
He said
investigations are still in progress, and police are working on identifying the
suspects.
Comm Nyathi
said preliminary investigations so far point to an inside job, given how the
robbers meticulously carried out the robbery.
“We cannot rule
out suspicions of an inside job, and we will leave no stone unturned in this
case. With that said, I want to make members of the public aware that there is
no going back in the fight against armed robbery,” said Comm Nyathi.
“We have so far
accounted for several robbery cases in the city’s suburbs, where residents were
being attacked and robbed of cash and valuables,” he added.
As intense
investigations continue, police are working flat out to piece together the
events that led to this frightening incident, said Comm Nyathi.
“More details
will be availed as investigations proceed,” he stated.
In a separate
incident that almost occurred at around the same time, police managed to foil a
robbery attempt at a nearby sports bar, where the suspect was caught wielding a
toy gun. Chronicle
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