Masked armed robbers ransack Filabusi home

TWO masked robbers broke into a house in Filabusi and got away with cash amounting to $450, clothing and a cellphone after holding the owner hostage.

The two unidentified men, who were armed with logs, broke into Mr Taurai Mapako's house and one of them stood guard while the other one ransacked the house in Bekezela suburb.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which happened in the early hours of Monday.

No arrests have been made so far.

Insp Ndebele said the man lost cash, clothes and a cellphone to the robbers who are on the run.

He said the loss of the money could have been avoided had it been deposited into a bank.

"We urge members of the public to learn to trust banks and put their money there for safekeeping reasons. Its high time people also engaged in the use of plastic money as it is very convenient and safer than to carry cash around.

"Once robbers pounce at a place and get what they want, it motivates them to come back again knowing that they will always get something. We suspect they targeted him knowing he had cash with him," said Insp Ndebele.

A source who preferred anonymity said the robbers stole the money from Mr Mapako's bedroom.

"They used unknown objects to break and force open the doors to gain entry into his house. He was awakened by their footsteps as they entered his bedroom. They were both armed with thick logs and they wore black masks.

"One grabbed him as he tried to escape and threatened to bash him to death if he moved an inch. He forced him to kneel and stood next to him, grabbing him by the throat while the other one ransacked the room," said the source.

In November last year, a man who lives in the same suburb in Filabusi was robbed of R24 000, $160 and two cellphones that were in his bedroom while he was sleeping.