US$50 000 stolen from EcoCash agents in Bulawayo

Bulawayo police are investigating two separate armed robbery incidents that unfolded within hours of each other on Friday night, including the theft of more than US$50,000 from an EcoCash agent and a high-speed chase that ended with the death of a suspected robber.

National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the EcoCash robbery, saying investigators believe the suspects may have acted with inside information.

"We have launched investigations in connection with a robbery case which occurred in Bulawayo Central Business District at an EcoCash agent in which a substantial amount of money, over US$50,000, was taken, and we are doing an investigation because we believe the suspects had inside information. We will be releasing information in due course on the investigations which are currently underway," Nyathi said.

According to police sources, the robbery occurred shortly after 8pm at Mengistu Enterprises, where an informant and 16 EcoCash cashiers were processing cash deposits from various EcoCash outlets.

Four men, three of them wearing balaclavas, allegedly stormed the premises. One of the suspects used a wheel spanner to smash a security screen door before entering the cashier area, while another allegedly produced a firearm and ordered everyone to surrender their cash and lie on the floor.

The robbers reportedly collected cash from the tellers before demanding the keys to a safe. After opening it, they took an additional US$3,000 before fleeing the scene.

A fuel attendant at a nearby Zuva service station reportedly saw the suspects escaping in a Honda Fit bearing registration number AFO 9326, although the vehicle's colour could not be established as it sped away along 12th Avenue.

Police estimate that more than US$50,000 was stolen. No arrests have been made and none of the money has been recovered.

In a separate incident later that evening, one suspected armed robber died after the stolen vehicle he was driving crashed while fleeing police in Queens Park.

Commissioner Nyathi said he was still verifying details surrounding the incident.

However, according to preliminary police information, the robbery began when a Honda Fit driver picked up six passengers in Bulawayo's city centre at around 9:30pm.

After dropping several passengers in Khumalo and Killarney, the driver allegedly picked up another group of passengers along Adair Drive.

As the taxi returned towards the central business district, one of the suspects allegedly produced a knife, threatened the driver and forced him into the back seat before driving to a secluded area near the National University of Science and Technology.

The suspects allegedly robbed the driver of a Redmi cellphone and US$159 in cash before tying him to a tree with a jacket cord and fleeing in his vehicle.

The victim later freed himself and reported the robbery to ZRP Khumalo.

Police tracked the stolen vehicle using its tracking device and intercepted it along Airport Road before spotting it near Frere Road in Queens Park.

When officers signalled the driver to stop, the suspects allegedly ignored the instruction and sped away, triggering a high-speed pursuit.

Police reportedly fired warning shots in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but the suspects continued fleeing until the driver lost control while negotiating a curve along Longford Road.

The vehicle rolled several times, killing the alleged driver, who sustained fatal head injuries. The remaining suspects were arrested at the scene.

The deceased's body was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals mortuary, while investigations into both incidents are continuing.