News / National
Two teen armed robbers arrested
30 Apr 2011 at 04:23hrs | Views
TWO 18-year-olds, armed robbers from Chitungwiza who were robbing taxis of cash and cellphones in Harare at gunpoint before going on joy rides with the vehicles have been arrested, state controlled 'The Herald' newspaper reports.
Police on Thursday said Tafadzwa Magaure (18) and Munyaradzi Zunzawabaya (18) were facing six counts of armed robberies.
They targeted mostly Toyota Spacios they would later dump after the joy rides.
Criminal Investigations Department (CID) spokesperson Detective Inspector Augustine Zimbili said the two were arrested last Friday following investigations.
"They were arrested in Chitungwiza and have so far cleared six counts of robbing taxis in the city," he said.
He said the gun, a .38 Revolver used by the suspects was recovered and a probe was underway to establish its origins. Detective Insp Zimbili said on March 10, the two hired a taxi near a nightclub in the city centre around midnight alleging that they were going to Mabelreign before robbing the driver of the vehicle, cellphone and US$70.
They dumped the car after driving for a kilometre after it had veered off the road and landed in a ditch. Two days later, the two hired a taxi being driven by Fast Taruvinga to Mabelreign. Along the way, one of them produced a pistol and ordered him to stop and disembark.
Taruvinga was robbed of US$50 cash and a cellphone before they drove away in his car which they later dumped at the intersection of Sherwood and Princess Roads.
On March 20, around midnight the two hired a taxi to Kuwadzana which they later robbed near the roundabout along the Harare-Bulawayo Road. The car was recovered after being abandoned in Chitungwiza the following day.
Seven days later they robbed another taxi after duping the driver that they wanted to be taken to Mabelreign.
"The taxi was recovered dumped in a cemetery in Chitungwiza," Detective Insp Zimbili said.
Early this month, they robbed another victim they had hired from the city centre to Sunningdale 3 and got away with his vehicle and US$150 cash before dumping the vehicle near Manyame River Bridge.
On Independence Day, Magaure hired a taxi near a hotel in the city to Westgate after convincing the driver into believing that he wanted to collect his goods.
When they approached the roundabout near Westgate Shopping Centre, Magaure ordered him to stop, before asking for the driver's cellphone so that he would phone.
The driver complied and Magaure phoned for some few seconds before ordering him to drive back to the city centre. It is alleged that along the way and near Kensington Shopping Centre, Magaure produced a pistol before robbing the vehicle. He left the driver stranded and drove towards the city centre. The vehicle was later discovered in Ruwa after being involved in an accident. Police also found the pistol in the vehicle.
Police on Thursday said Tafadzwa Magaure (18) and Munyaradzi Zunzawabaya (18) were facing six counts of armed robberies.
They targeted mostly Toyota Spacios they would later dump after the joy rides.
Criminal Investigations Department (CID) spokesperson Detective Inspector Augustine Zimbili said the two were arrested last Friday following investigations.
"They were arrested in Chitungwiza and have so far cleared six counts of robbing taxis in the city," he said.
He said the gun, a .38 Revolver used by the suspects was recovered and a probe was underway to establish its origins. Detective Insp Zimbili said on March 10, the two hired a taxi near a nightclub in the city centre around midnight alleging that they were going to Mabelreign before robbing the driver of the vehicle, cellphone and US$70.
They dumped the car after driving for a kilometre after it had veered off the road and landed in a ditch. Two days later, the two hired a taxi being driven by Fast Taruvinga to Mabelreign. Along the way, one of them produced a pistol and ordered him to stop and disembark.
On March 20, around midnight the two hired a taxi to Kuwadzana which they later robbed near the roundabout along the Harare-Bulawayo Road. The car was recovered after being abandoned in Chitungwiza the following day.
Seven days later they robbed another taxi after duping the driver that they wanted to be taken to Mabelreign.
"The taxi was recovered dumped in a cemetery in Chitungwiza," Detective Insp Zimbili said.
Early this month, they robbed another victim they had hired from the city centre to Sunningdale 3 and got away with his vehicle and US$150 cash before dumping the vehicle near Manyame River Bridge.
On Independence Day, Magaure hired a taxi near a hotel in the city to Westgate after convincing the driver into believing that he wanted to collect his goods.
When they approached the roundabout near Westgate Shopping Centre, Magaure ordered him to stop, before asking for the driver's cellphone so that he would phone.
The driver complied and Magaure phoned for some few seconds before ordering him to drive back to the city centre. It is alleged that along the way and near Kensington Shopping Centre, Magaure produced a pistol before robbing the vehicle. He left the driver stranded and drove towards the city centre. The vehicle was later discovered in Ruwa after being involved in an accident. Police also found the pistol in the vehicle.
Source - The Herald
