News / Local
Armed robbers on the increase in Bulawayo
09 Oct 2011 at 05:26hrs | Views
ARMED robbers are wreaking havoc in Bulawayo with three cases reported within two days since Saturday amid a strong warning by the police that perpetrators would be severely dealt with.
On Saturday three men armed with a pistol forcibly undressed a female security guard and wore her uniform to gain entry into the Zimpost branch at Belmont, where they got away with US$18 000. The money was reportedly deposited into the bank by the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (Zinara).
Two days later, on Monday armed men reportedly broke into Windermere Hotel on the outskirts of Bulawayo where they assaulted employees and tied them up before getting away with cash and property worth about US$900, while in another incident an axe-brandishing man robbed a woman of goods and cash all amounting to about R20 000 in Cowdray Park. The two incidents happened at almost the same time at about 3 am.
All the cases were confirmed by the police spokesperson for Bulawayo Province, Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo. An officer close to investigations in the incidents said the Zimpost raid started when the security company in charge of the premises was changing guards at 7 am.
"The guards opened the gate and were exchanging pleasantries when three men armed with a pistol appeared and forced them back into the premises. They took a female guard's uniform then tied her hands and feet before leaving one of them guarding her in a toilet," said the officer.
The officer said one of the robbers, a man, put on the blouse and jacket and waited for the employees to report for duty.
"Two senior employees arrived at around 8.30am. One of them remarked that the security guard was new as he entered the premises with them. Once inside the man produced the pistol and showed them a live bullet to prove that the gun was real," said the officer.
The officer said the two men force-marched the employees to the safe and demanded the keys.
"They then tied up the employees, took the cash and disappeared. The crime was discovered when other employees reported for duty a few minutes later," he said.
In the other incident, a guest at Windermere was woken up by the sound of breaking glass.
"He went out of his room to investigate. At the door, he met two men, one carrying a pistol and the other armed with a knife and a screwdriver. They demanded cash from him," said the officer.
The officer said the robbers tied up the guest with a television cord and force-marched him to where the bar lady was sleeping with two other female employees, when they realised that the guest had no money.
"They demanded cash from them and assaulted them with electric cords. They then took seven cell phones, a Nokia G5, three Nokia 1208s, a Samsung 780, and a Nokia 1266 and an MTN mobile phone. They continued assaulting their victims until they got US$231 in cash," said the officer.
"The robber who had a screw driver covered the victims with a blanket and stood on guard while the one with the gun forced the bar lady to another room where he took an assortment of beers, 10 kilogrammes of meat and cell phone recharge cards."
The officer said after about two hours, the victims who were under the blanket realised that the armed robbers had left, so they untied each other and went to report to the manager who was sleeping in another room.
"They then went to the tollgate and made a report," the officer said.
In the Cowdray Park incident an unknown man forced open the door of a house and hid behind a fridge in the kitchen. "The woman, who stays alone, woke up after hearing the noise of the door being opened. She found the robber crouching behind the fridge. When he saw that he had been discovered he jumped up and threatened the woman with an axe," said the officer.
He said the man forced the woman into her bedroom where he demanded cash and cellphones. "He was given three cellphones, A Nokia 6110, an LG T300 and a Samsung. He then took cash amounting to R11 500 and US$100. He also took different items of clothing and a radio with two speakers, all valued at R20 000," said the officer.
Contacted for comment, Insp Moyo said police were investigating the crimes. "Intensive investigations have been instituted. As police in Bulawayo, we have always had an excellent record of solving armed robbery cases and as usual, we will not rest until these criminals have been caught," said Insp Moyo.
He urged members of the public and businesspeople in the city to update their security arrangements to deter criminals. "We would like to remind members of the public that criminals often strike just before opening or closing time at business premises. We encourage businesses to have CCTV monitors, alarms connected to reputable security companies and security guards from established companies," he said.
Insp Moyo said businesses should continuously liaise with their security companies so that they always know when there has been a change of guards on their premises. He said once people saw security guards that they did not know, without being alerted that guards have been changed, they should call the police as soon as possible. Insp Moyo said anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the armed robbers should contact their nearest police station or use police suggestion boxes.
He said they could also call the police hotline number (09) 885479 or the toll free 999 and 995. "We would like to applaud the public, who have always been a good source of information about the whereabouts of criminals. We encourage them to keep working with us to make the city safe for everyone," said Insp Moyo.
On Saturday three men armed with a pistol forcibly undressed a female security guard and wore her uniform to gain entry into the Zimpost branch at Belmont, where they got away with US$18 000. The money was reportedly deposited into the bank by the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (Zinara).
Two days later, on Monday armed men reportedly broke into Windermere Hotel on the outskirts of Bulawayo where they assaulted employees and tied them up before getting away with cash and property worth about US$900, while in another incident an axe-brandishing man robbed a woman of goods and cash all amounting to about R20 000 in Cowdray Park. The two incidents happened at almost the same time at about 3 am.
All the cases were confirmed by the police spokesperson for Bulawayo Province, Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo. An officer close to investigations in the incidents said the Zimpost raid started when the security company in charge of the premises was changing guards at 7 am.
"The guards opened the gate and were exchanging pleasantries when three men armed with a pistol appeared and forced them back into the premises. They took a female guard's uniform then tied her hands and feet before leaving one of them guarding her in a toilet," said the officer.
The officer said one of the robbers, a man, put on the blouse and jacket and waited for the employees to report for duty.
"Two senior employees arrived at around 8.30am. One of them remarked that the security guard was new as he entered the premises with them. Once inside the man produced the pistol and showed them a live bullet to prove that the gun was real," said the officer.
The officer said the two men force-marched the employees to the safe and demanded the keys.
"They then tied up the employees, took the cash and disappeared. The crime was discovered when other employees reported for duty a few minutes later," he said.
In the other incident, a guest at Windermere was woken up by the sound of breaking glass.
"He went out of his room to investigate. At the door, he met two men, one carrying a pistol and the other armed with a knife and a screwdriver. They demanded cash from him," said the officer.
The officer said the robbers tied up the guest with a television cord and force-marched him to where the bar lady was sleeping with two other female employees, when they realised that the guest had no money.
"They demanded cash from them and assaulted them with electric cords. They then took seven cell phones, a Nokia G5, three Nokia 1208s, a Samsung 780, and a Nokia 1266 and an MTN mobile phone. They continued assaulting their victims until they got US$231 in cash," said the officer.
"The robber who had a screw driver covered the victims with a blanket and stood on guard while the one with the gun forced the bar lady to another room where he took an assortment of beers, 10 kilogrammes of meat and cell phone recharge cards."
The officer said after about two hours, the victims who were under the blanket realised that the armed robbers had left, so they untied each other and went to report to the manager who was sleeping in another room.
"They then went to the tollgate and made a report," the officer said.
In the Cowdray Park incident an unknown man forced open the door of a house and hid behind a fridge in the kitchen. "The woman, who stays alone, woke up after hearing the noise of the door being opened. She found the robber crouching behind the fridge. When he saw that he had been discovered he jumped up and threatened the woman with an axe," said the officer.
He said the man forced the woman into her bedroom where he demanded cash and cellphones. "He was given three cellphones, A Nokia 6110, an LG T300 and a Samsung. He then took cash amounting to R11 500 and US$100. He also took different items of clothing and a radio with two speakers, all valued at R20 000," said the officer.
Contacted for comment, Insp Moyo said police were investigating the crimes. "Intensive investigations have been instituted. As police in Bulawayo, we have always had an excellent record of solving armed robbery cases and as usual, we will not rest until these criminals have been caught," said Insp Moyo.
He urged members of the public and businesspeople in the city to update their security arrangements to deter criminals. "We would like to remind members of the public that criminals often strike just before opening or closing time at business premises. We encourage businesses to have CCTV monitors, alarms connected to reputable security companies and security guards from established companies," he said.
Insp Moyo said businesses should continuously liaise with their security companies so that they always know when there has been a change of guards on their premises. He said once people saw security guards that they did not know, without being alerted that guards have been changed, they should call the police as soon as possible. Insp Moyo said anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the armed robbers should contact their nearest police station or use police suggestion boxes.
He said they could also call the police hotline number (09) 885479 or the toll free 999 and 995. "We would like to applaud the public, who have always been a good source of information about the whereabouts of criminals. We encourage them to keep working with us to make the city safe for everyone," said Insp Moyo.
Source - chronicle
