News / National
Zimbabwe police warn armed robbers
24 Oct 2022 at 06:07hrs | Views
Police will continue to apply greater pressure on those committing serious crimes, with armed robbers a particular target, Commissioner General Godwin Matanga has said. Speaking at the return of 19 police officers who recently returned after being deployed in South Sudan on a United Nations peacekeeping mission, the Commissioner General said there would be less armed robbery if people and businesses did not keep large sums of cash hoarded at home and in workplaces.
"I wish to reiterate that the perpetrators of the heinous crime must be sniffed out from wherever they may opt to hide," he said in a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Comm-Gen Learn Ncube.
The warning comes amid an increase in cases of armed robberies in which criminals are targeting companies and people with huge amount of money. But the police would continue to mount pressure until all perpetrators are brought to book.
"We must never give them any breathing space, the more they feel the heat, the better for the citizens," he said. "I wish to reassure all Zimbabweans that the Zimbabwe Republic Police is working flat out to arrest perpetrators of these armed robberies whilst also encouraging everyone to play their part in preventing them from occurring." "This has become a worrisome trend which we, as the police, feel is being exacerbated by inappropriate behaviour by individuals and organisations alike, who against the wisdom of banking their cash, are choosing to keep it in their homes and offices."
He also urged members of the public to stop acting in a way that invites criminals to their door steps and urged them to always keep huge sum of money in banks.
"Let me take this opportunity to implore our people to desist from such behaviour as it invites criminals to their doorsteps.
This is not to say that our citizens should live in fear of crime but should also take the necessary steps to complement our efforts to rid society of the malady of crime," he said.
Last week, suspected members of the robbery gang that hit ABC Auctions in Seke were arrested and appeared in court whilst another suspect was fatally shot when hit in a shoot-out with police.
The family of Shadreck Njowa, the alleged mastermind behind the heist in January last year at Gwebi River Bridge along the Harare Chirundu Road of a cash-in-transit vehicle moving for ZB Bank US$2,7 million and $43 000, was arrested in Harare last Wednesday.
Njowa who had been on the run for nearly two years was eventually apprehended at a house in Highfield where he has been hiding, a sign that the ZRP is committed to promote a crime free environment.
"I wish to reiterate that the perpetrators of the heinous crime must be sniffed out from wherever they may opt to hide," he said in a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Comm-Gen Learn Ncube.
The warning comes amid an increase in cases of armed robberies in which criminals are targeting companies and people with huge amount of money. But the police would continue to mount pressure until all perpetrators are brought to book.
"We must never give them any breathing space, the more they feel the heat, the better for the citizens," he said. "I wish to reassure all Zimbabweans that the Zimbabwe Republic Police is working flat out to arrest perpetrators of these armed robberies whilst also encouraging everyone to play their part in preventing them from occurring." "This has become a worrisome trend which we, as the police, feel is being exacerbated by inappropriate behaviour by individuals and organisations alike, who against the wisdom of banking their cash, are choosing to keep it in their homes and offices."
He also urged members of the public to stop acting in a way that invites criminals to their door steps and urged them to always keep huge sum of money in banks.
This is not to say that our citizens should live in fear of crime but should also take the necessary steps to complement our efforts to rid society of the malady of crime," he said.
Last week, suspected members of the robbery gang that hit ABC Auctions in Seke were arrested and appeared in court whilst another suspect was fatally shot when hit in a shoot-out with police.
The family of Shadreck Njowa, the alleged mastermind behind the heist in January last year at Gwebi River Bridge along the Harare Chirundu Road of a cash-in-transit vehicle moving for ZB Bank US$2,7 million and $43 000, was arrested in Harare last Wednesday.
Njowa who had been on the run for nearly two years was eventually apprehended at a house in Highfield where he has been hiding, a sign that the ZRP is committed to promote a crime free environment.
Source - The Herald
