News / Local
Crystal Lounge hit: Gunmen vanished with US$4 300
13 hrs ago | Views
Armed robbers stormed Crystal Lounge in Bulawayo on Sunday morning, making off with US$4 300 in cash after holding staff hostage in a brazen daylight heist that has stunned the city's entertainment community.
The robbery occurred around 10AM at the popular bar, located at the corner of 13th Avenue and Robert Mugabe Way, just as employees were counting the morning's takings.
According to national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, three unidentified gunmen entered the premises and executed the robbery with chilling precision.
"Police swiftly attended the scene and mobilised all the relevant sections," said Comm Nyathi. "Unfortunately, the suspects had already fled."
The robbers held the workers at gunpoint, grabbed the cash, and escaped undetected — disappearing before even neighbouring shop owners realised what had occurred.
One terrified staff member described the ordeal as something out of a film.
"It was like watching a movie, only real," the employee said. "They knew exactly what they wanted."
By the time police arrived, the suspects had vanished into Bulawayo's network of alleys and traffic, leaving behind a shaken team of employees and a growing citywide outcry over the boldness of the attack.
Authorities have since launched a full-scale manhunt for the suspects and are appealing to the public for information.
"Anyone who may have seen anything suspicious is urged to contact ZRP CID Bulawayo or report to their nearest police station," Comm Nyathi added.
The robbery adds to a concerning trend of armed assaults targeting businesses across the country, and security around cash handling is expected to come under renewed scrutiny in the aftermath.
The robbery occurred around 10AM at the popular bar, located at the corner of 13th Avenue and Robert Mugabe Way, just as employees were counting the morning's takings.
According to national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, three unidentified gunmen entered the premises and executed the robbery with chilling precision.
"Police swiftly attended the scene and mobilised all the relevant sections," said Comm Nyathi. "Unfortunately, the suspects had already fled."
The robbers held the workers at gunpoint, grabbed the cash, and escaped undetected — disappearing before even neighbouring shop owners realised what had occurred.
"It was like watching a movie, only real," the employee said. "They knew exactly what they wanted."
By the time police arrived, the suspects had vanished into Bulawayo's network of alleys and traffic, leaving behind a shaken team of employees and a growing citywide outcry over the boldness of the attack.
Authorities have since launched a full-scale manhunt for the suspects and are appealing to the public for information.
"Anyone who may have seen anything suspicious is urged to contact ZRP CID Bulawayo or report to their nearest police station," Comm Nyathi added.
The robbery adds to a concerning trend of armed assaults targeting businesses across the country, and security around cash handling is expected to come under renewed scrutiny in the aftermath.
Source - zimpapers
