News / National
$400,000 vanish in movie-style heist
01 Dec 2013 at 16:20hrs | Views
One of the Fawcett Security Company guards who was in the truck when the robbers pounced reflects on his narrow escape in front of the wreckages of the cash-in-transit truck and the lorry after the criminals sped off with the cash. - Picture by Tinei Nyadzayo
A four-man gang of robbers got away with plantation workers' salaries understood to be around $400 000 after stage-managing an accident with a cash-in-transit security truck before raiding the vehicle while pretending to be traffic police officers in Honde Valley yesterday morning.
The robbers allegedly rammed into the cash-laden vehicle with a lorry and disappeared with the money, leaving the shocked occupants of the Fawcett Security Company truck with minor injuries.
No arrests had been made by late yesterday afternoon.
The security guards were reportedly transporting the cash from Mutare to Eastern Highlands Plantations.
It is understood the guards were near Selbourne when a lorry heading in the opposite direction suddenly rammed into their vehicle, head on.
Disguised as traffic police officers, three of the robbers promptly arrived on the scene. They disarmed the security guards while feigning concern. They then turned the guns on the guards and ordered them to open the back of the truck where the cash was.
The robbers loaded the money into a getaway car and sped off together with the fourth gang-member who had been driving the lorry.
He said police were yet to establish the exact amount of cash stolen.
"Our detectives and traffic police officers are on the ground. We do not have the figures now, but we will give them to you as soon as we get them. This was a well-planned robbery disguised as a road accident," he said.
"The robbers had information that the Fawcett truck would travel from Mutare en route to Eastern Highlands Plantations.
"They did their homework and staged the accident. The fact that the driver of the truck involved in the accident also jumped into the getaway car with the robbers clearly shows they were conspiring."
Fawcett Security officials would not be drawn into commenting, while Eastern Highlands Plantations management could not be reached.
Source - sundaymail
