SA-registered vehicle used in Harare shoot-out recovered

The South African registered VW Polo vehicle used as a first getaway car by two suspected armed robbers who sped off during a shootout at a service station near the Exhibition Park (formerly Harare Agricultural Showgrounds) last Wednesday, has been recovered dumped at a house in Norton.

Police have taken the vehicle for forensic examination.

Last Wednesday, a suspected armed robber was shot and killed while two others were seriously injured during the shootout with the police in Harare.

Police arrested two other suspected armed robbers while two others, one of them a South African only known as Sean, disappeared into the night.

Some of the suspects were believed to be members of the security services.

Police then recovered a Norinco Pistol with four rounds of ammunition and a .38 Ross Revolver with two rounds of ammunition at the scene. Two spent cartridges were also recovered.

The suspects were a policeman, Dalubuhle Ndlovu (36), Precious Dube (40) and Meluleki Makhalima, who was shot and killed during the shootout.

Their two accomplices, Thulani Maphosa (30) and a Zimbabwean based in Hillbrow, South Africa, Michael Khanyiso Moyo (47), were arrested.

The injured were taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital where Makhalima was pronounced dead on admission.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that the VW Polo (FJ03FMGP) was found dumped at a house in Norton by yet to be identified two suspects, a man and a woman, after it had developed a mechanical fault.

"The Zimbabwe Republic Police informs the public that the South African registered VW Polo used as first getaway car was dumped at a certain house in Norton by yet to be identified male and female suspects on March 31, 2022.

"The two requested to leave the car for safe keeping on the pretext that it had developed a mechanical fault and were going to look for a mechanic," he said.

In the vehicle, police recovered towels, sandals, satchel, clothes, bank cards, cellphones, reflective triangles, sneakers, sports jerseys, HIV testing kits, South African work permits and a passport.

"The ZRP has since intensified investigations with a view of arresting suspects only identified as Sean, Fundisani and the two who left the VW Polo vehicle in Norton," Asst Comm Nyathi said.

Police investigations revealed that the suspects had been operating from South Africa.

Last week, detectives from the CID Homicide received information that seven armed robbers were planning to rob a house in Greendale and they laid an ambush, together with officers from the Canine Section.

During the night, the robbers arrived at the house and parked two getaway cars that they were travelling in, the South Africa-registered dark blue VW Polo and a Golf VW and a navy blue Toyota Corolla (AEC 7253).

The suspects attempted to jump over the security wall to gain entry into the house but were intercepted by vicious dogs.

One of them, Maphosa, who was wearing a balaclava and armed with an iron bar, then went to a certain house where police had laid an ambush and was arrested. Sensing danger, his colleagues drove away, heading towards the city. The detectives then followed them and the robbers parked their vehicles at the service station before confronting them. One of the robbers fired shots towards them resulting in a shoot-out.

During the shoot-out, two other armed robbers, a South African and a Zimbabwean, sped off in the VW Polo. They have been identified as Sean, a South African national and a Zimbabwean only identified as Fundisani from Bulawayo.

Investigations also revealed that Precious Dube was a wanted suspect over a cash-in-transit heist which occurred near Connemara Prison on November 25 last year where US$334 000 was stolen from a Fawcett Security cash-in-transit van.