News / National
Businessman in fierce battle with armed robbers
20 May 2022 at 01:26hrs | Views
A fast-thinking and quick acting businessman and his family managed to fight off and repel a determined attack by four robbers in Dema Phase 3, Seke, on Wednesday night.
The businessman put his life on the line and wrestled with the robbers, with his dogs joining in, as his family shouted for help, until they gave up as neighbours started mobilising and disappeared into the night empty-handed.
It was around 7.45pm when Mr Tinashe Chikombero was in his sitting room while some of the family members including his wife and an 18-year-old daughter were attending to household chores, when the gang attempted to raid their house.
The four, two of them wearing balaclavas and armed with a pistol, gained entry by scaling a precast wall.
They then attempted to gain entry into the house through an open kitchen door, at the back of the house, where they were seen by Mr Chikombero's daughter, who was in that room.
"As I was relaxing in the sitting room, I later heard my daughter shouting for help and informing me that there was someone holding a gun by the kitchen door.
"Without wasting any time, I went to investigate," said Mr Chikombero, who is also employed as a sales executive by a beverage distribution company.
Mr Chikombero then confronted the robbers and fiercely fought with them outside the house, near the door to the kitchen.
"During the time I was wrestling with the robbers, my wife and daughter shouted for help and also our dogs that were at the front of our house came to my aid after hearing that they was some commotion.
"I was stabbed with a sharp object on the head and right arm before they decided to flee, fearing that the noise would alert some of our neighbours.
"They only grabbed the car keys of our Honda Fit, which we later found outside the yard the following day," said Mr Chikombero.
The house that was attacked by robbers in Dema.
When neighbours came to their house, the robbers had fled and from information he got, they had parked their getaway car, a Honda Fit, a few metres from the scene.
"They were seen by some people in the neighbourhood jumping into their getaway car and speeding off. We, however, made a report at Dema Police Station where I was given a request for medical report form in order to be treated at Chitungwiza Central Hospital," he said.
The man is now in the process of beefing up security at his house fearing that the criminals might return, this time with reinforcements and determination. No arrests have been made in the case but investigations continue.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said all outstanding criminals will be accounted for, as police crack teams have been activated and are on the ground.
He urged the public to desist from moving around or keeping large amounts of cash in their homes and business premises as they may become robbery targets.
As robbery cases rise, a Harare company lost US$300 000 cash to three armed robbers who pounced on the firm, attacked a security guard and seized the cash.
The incident occurred at Battery Gates (Pvt) Limited in Newlands, Harare. The 52-year-old private security guard on duty was approached by the three robbers armed with a pistol at around 4am.
This incident came as police are still looking for three armed robbers who shot and killed a Chiweshe businessman's wife after they raided their house and stole US$2 300 cash and six cellphones.
The woman was shot once on the right side of the chest and died on the spot, before the attackers vanished into the night. The incident occurred at around 2am at Kanhukamwe Business Centre in Chiweshe on April 29.
In another case, seven armed robbers raided a company in Southerton, Harare, last week on May 4 and got away with US$384 880, over $11 000 and Mozambican road toll books valued at US$55 000.
The robbers, who were armed with two rifles and explosives, first held hostage four victims before ransacking the premises at ZX Fuels in Southerton.
They blasted a safe and stole US$2 316, $11 551,40 and blasted another office with a bullet proof glass where they stole Mozambique road toll books worth US$55 075 and a safe containing US$378 057.
In Masvingo, four armed robbers raided Total Service Station and got away with a Toyota Hilux and a safe containing an undisclosed amount of cash. The four first attacked a security guard before tying both his hands and legs with a rope.
They then went to the company's offices and stole a safe containing the cash, which they loaded onto the company's Toyota Hilux single cab vehicle (ABW3144) that was parked at the premises. Police later recovered the vehicle abandoned near the 43km peg along the Masvingo-Zaka Road.
The businessman put his life on the line and wrestled with the robbers, with his dogs joining in, as his family shouted for help, until they gave up as neighbours started mobilising and disappeared into the night empty-handed.
It was around 7.45pm when Mr Tinashe Chikombero was in his sitting room while some of the family members including his wife and an 18-year-old daughter were attending to household chores, when the gang attempted to raid their house.
The four, two of them wearing balaclavas and armed with a pistol, gained entry by scaling a precast wall.
They then attempted to gain entry into the house through an open kitchen door, at the back of the house, where they were seen by Mr Chikombero's daughter, who was in that room.
"As I was relaxing in the sitting room, I later heard my daughter shouting for help and informing me that there was someone holding a gun by the kitchen door.
"Without wasting any time, I went to investigate," said Mr Chikombero, who is also employed as a sales executive by a beverage distribution company.
Mr Chikombero then confronted the robbers and fiercely fought with them outside the house, near the door to the kitchen.
"During the time I was wrestling with the robbers, my wife and daughter shouted for help and also our dogs that were at the front of our house came to my aid after hearing that they was some commotion.
"I was stabbed with a sharp object on the head and right arm before they decided to flee, fearing that the noise would alert some of our neighbours.
"They only grabbed the car keys of our Honda Fit, which we later found outside the yard the following day," said Mr Chikombero.
The house that was attacked by robbers in Dema.
When neighbours came to their house, the robbers had fled and from information he got, they had parked their getaway car, a Honda Fit, a few metres from the scene.
"They were seen by some people in the neighbourhood jumping into their getaway car and speeding off. We, however, made a report at Dema Police Station where I was given a request for medical report form in order to be treated at Chitungwiza Central Hospital," he said.
The man is now in the process of beefing up security at his house fearing that the criminals might return, this time with reinforcements and determination. No arrests have been made in the case but investigations continue.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said all outstanding criminals will be accounted for, as police crack teams have been activated and are on the ground.
He urged the public to desist from moving around or keeping large amounts of cash in their homes and business premises as they may become robbery targets.
As robbery cases rise, a Harare company lost US$300 000 cash to three armed robbers who pounced on the firm, attacked a security guard and seized the cash.
The incident occurred at Battery Gates (Pvt) Limited in Newlands, Harare. The 52-year-old private security guard on duty was approached by the three robbers armed with a pistol at around 4am.
This incident came as police are still looking for three armed robbers who shot and killed a Chiweshe businessman's wife after they raided their house and stole US$2 300 cash and six cellphones.
The woman was shot once on the right side of the chest and died on the spot, before the attackers vanished into the night. The incident occurred at around 2am at Kanhukamwe Business Centre in Chiweshe on April 29.
In another case, seven armed robbers raided a company in Southerton, Harare, last week on May 4 and got away with US$384 880, over $11 000 and Mozambican road toll books valued at US$55 000.
The robbers, who were armed with two rifles and explosives, first held hostage four victims before ransacking the premises at ZX Fuels in Southerton.
They blasted a safe and stole US$2 316, $11 551,40 and blasted another office with a bullet proof glass where they stole Mozambique road toll books worth US$55 075 and a safe containing US$378 057.
In Masvingo, four armed robbers raided Total Service Station and got away with a Toyota Hilux and a safe containing an undisclosed amount of cash. The four first attacked a security guard before tying both his hands and legs with a rope.
They then went to the company's offices and stole a safe containing the cash, which they loaded onto the company's Toyota Hilux single cab vehicle (ABW3144) that was parked at the premises. Police later recovered the vehicle abandoned near the 43km peg along the Masvingo-Zaka Road.
Source - The Herald
