News / National
Prison officer snatches a handbag with $12 000
05 Dec 2012 at 08:16hrs | Views
There was drama in Masvingo central business district on Monday afternoon when residents chased and cornered a suspected armed robber who had allegedly snatched a handbag containing $12 500 from a till operator.
The woman together with a group of daring residents led by a police officer chased the suspected armed robber for more than an hour until they apprehended him at an abandoned house in Rujeko B suburb.
The suspect, Fifteenboy Musviba (28) of Mutumbiki village in Ndanga communal lands, a prison officer, allegedly fired several shots into the air to scare away his pursuers but to no avail.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Peter Zhanero yesterday said the suspect was in custody assisting them with investigations.
He said police managed to recover the pistol which the suspect was using and the $12 500 which was in a bag that he had snatched from the woman.
"The suspect will appear in court soon facing armed robbery charges," said Inspector Zhanero.
It is alleged that Musviba waylaid a woman employed as a till operator by a hardware firm as she was going to the cash office to dispose of her daily earnings amounting $12 500 that was in her handbag.
The suspect allegedly pounced on her and demanded the bag after pulling out a pistol in the city and a scuffle ensued between the two forcing the woman to scream for help.
Undeterred the suspect allegedly snatched the handbag before taking to his heels after firing a shot into the air to scare away any attention.
However, the woman allegedly gave chase and was joined by an alert police officer who had heard the shot while scores of other residents also joined in the chase.
The suspect then fled towards Rujeko suburb while firing shots from his pistol into the air to scare away those who were chasing him.
The residents continued to give chase forcing him to seek refuge in an abandoned house in Rujeko B suburb.
Residents then cordoned off the area before the police officer finally managed to disarm and arrest Musviba, bringing an end to over an hour of drama.
The woman together with a group of daring residents led by a police officer chased the suspected armed robber for more than an hour until they apprehended him at an abandoned house in Rujeko B suburb.
The suspect, Fifteenboy Musviba (28) of Mutumbiki village in Ndanga communal lands, a prison officer, allegedly fired several shots into the air to scare away his pursuers but to no avail.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Peter Zhanero yesterday said the suspect was in custody assisting them with investigations.
He said police managed to recover the pistol which the suspect was using and the $12 500 which was in a bag that he had snatched from the woman.
"The suspect will appear in court soon facing armed robbery charges," said Inspector Zhanero.
It is alleged that Musviba waylaid a woman employed as a till operator by a hardware firm as she was going to the cash office to dispose of her daily earnings amounting $12 500 that was in her handbag.
The suspect allegedly pounced on her and demanded the bag after pulling out a pistol in the city and a scuffle ensued between the two forcing the woman to scream for help.
Undeterred the suspect allegedly snatched the handbag before taking to his heels after firing a shot into the air to scare away any attention.
However, the woman allegedly gave chase and was joined by an alert police officer who had heard the shot while scores of other residents also joined in the chase.
The suspect then fled towards Rujeko suburb while firing shots from his pistol into the air to scare away those who were chasing him.
The residents continued to give chase forcing him to seek refuge in an abandoned house in Rujeko B suburb.
Residents then cordoned off the area before the police officer finally managed to disarm and arrest Musviba, bringing an end to over an hour of drama.
Source - TH
