Police officers shoot fleeing robbers

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) operatives yesterday morning shot and injured three suspected robbers in Harare's Budiriro 2 suburb as they attempted to evade arrest in a dramatic incident that shocked residents.

One of the robbers was shot in the stomach while the other two were shot in the legs. The incident led to the arrest of three other members of the gang, which had terrorised residents by robbing them of valuables, mainly at night.

According to police, the detectives first arrested one of the gang members on Friday. The suspected robber then gave them leads on the whereabouts of his six companions. Early yesterday morning, the detectives then spotted the six suspects in the suburb, resulting in a high-speed vehicle chase.

The suspected robbers' vehicle, however, plunged into a ditch.

This did not deter three of the suspects, who quickly got out of the vehicle and sprinted away, prompting the detectives to fire warning shots and ultimately shoot them. The three who had remained in the vehicle were also arrested.

Officer Commanding CID Senior Assistant Commissioner Godfrey Munyonga said the three injured suspects were taken to hospital while the other gang members are in police custody.