News / National
Armed robbers raid city gold dealer
18 Jun 2019 at 07:59hrs | Views
SIX suspected armed robbers pounced on a house in Bulawayo's city centre and brutally attacked four people with machetes, leaving them for dead before getting away with US$6 687, RTGS$1 000, five grammes gold and three digital gold scales, police confirmed yesterday.
The incident happened at around 2AM on Sunday at a cottage along Herbert Chitepo Street and 1st Avenue. Two of the victims who sustained deep cuts on their hands and legs are admitted at Mpilo Central Hospital while two have been discharged.
The suspects savagely cut them on the soles of their feet as they demanded to know where gold was kept.
The main house is used as an office by Mr Costa Lungisani Ncube where he buys and sells gold.
Mr Blessing Ncube (23), Evidence Ndlovu (17), Mthandazeli Sibanda (15) and Bruce Ncube (18) were sleeping when the armed robbers struck. Bulawayo acting provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, said the suspects are still at large.
Insp Msebele said the suspects proceeded to the offices and opened the door, getting away with a safe with US$6 687, RTGS$1 000 and five grammes gold and three digital gold scales.
When The Chronicle visited the offices yesterday, the floors and walls were spattered with blood and blankets caked with blood were on a washing line.
A man who identified himself as an uncle to the three males said the family was still in shock because of the incident and they hoped that the police would speed up investigations and apprehend the culprits.
He said the empty safe was found dumped at the Shangani River.
Two guard dogs at the premises, the man said, did not bark at the gang, raising suspicion that they may have been drugged. He said Bruce had seen one of the suspects in the afternoon at the office, driving a Mazda Familia with registration number ADM3201.
The car is now parked outside Extra City Bus Company along Lobengula Street and it is said that the owner has not shown up to collect it.
This newspaper visited the victims at the hospital and a nurse in charge of the ward where they were admitted said they were in a stable condition, waiting for blood tests and X-ray results.
The incident happened at around 2AM on Sunday at a cottage along Herbert Chitepo Street and 1st Avenue. Two of the victims who sustained deep cuts on their hands and legs are admitted at Mpilo Central Hospital while two have been discharged.
The suspects savagely cut them on the soles of their feet as they demanded to know where gold was kept.
The main house is used as an office by Mr Costa Lungisani Ncube where he buys and sells gold.
Mr Blessing Ncube (23), Evidence Ndlovu (17), Mthandazeli Sibanda (15) and Bruce Ncube (18) were sleeping when the armed robbers struck. Bulawayo acting provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, said the suspects are still at large.
Insp Msebele said the suspects proceeded to the offices and opened the door, getting away with a safe with US$6 687, RTGS$1 000 and five grammes gold and three digital gold scales.
A man who identified himself as an uncle to the three males said the family was still in shock because of the incident and they hoped that the police would speed up investigations and apprehend the culprits.
He said the empty safe was found dumped at the Shangani River.
Two guard dogs at the premises, the man said, did not bark at the gang, raising suspicion that they may have been drugged. He said Bruce had seen one of the suspects in the afternoon at the office, driving a Mazda Familia with registration number ADM3201.
The car is now parked outside Extra City Bus Company along Lobengula Street and it is said that the owner has not shown up to collect it.
This newspaper visited the victims at the hospital and a nurse in charge of the ward where they were admitted said they were in a stable condition, waiting for blood tests and X-ray results.
Source - chronicle
