Armed robbers pounce on Bulawayo school

In a brazen incident of armed robbery, a gang of four assailants ambushed two security guards at Greengables High School on Thursday, October 31, 2024, stealing over $2,000 in cash and various electronic gadgets. The school is located approximately 22 kilometers outside Bulawayo's Central Business District.

Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, the Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, confirmed the alarming details of the robbery, revealing that the suspects were armed with a pistol when they struck the boarding school at around 2 a.m.

"Two security guards were on duty at the time of the incident. One was seated in the Lower Six classrooms, while the other was filling water tanks in the schoolyard when the attackers struck," said Assistant Inspector Msebele. "The robbers entered the classrooms, pointed a pistol at the seated guard, and ordered him to lie on the ground before tying his hands with a cable tie."

The assailants then moved to the water tanks, where they tied up the second security guard using a cellphone charger and shoelaces before bringing him back to the classroom. One of the robbers remained with the guards at gunpoint while the others proceeded to the administration block to carry out their theft.

To gain access to the offices, the thieves shattered a window in the boardroom, which lacked burglar bars. They ransacked several offices, including the reception area, headmaster's office, director of finance and administration office, bursary office, and deputy headmaster's office. Among the items stolen were cellphones from an unlocked drawer, three laptops, $2,250 in cash, three Wi-Fi routers, and a laptop bag containing the headmaster's wallet and examination timetable.

Assistant Inspector Msebele urged the community, particularly educational institutions, to bolster security measures. "We encourage schools to enhance the security of their administrative blocks by installing strong burglar bars on windows and secure screen doors," she said.

This incident follows a concerning trend, as earlier this year, at least seven schools reported armed robberies within a span of two weeks. Authorities have raised alarms about potential inside jobs and the rising number of robberies, particularly as schools increasingly accept cash payments for fees rather than electronic transfers or bank deposits.

The police are currently investigating the incident, urging anyone with information to come forward to assist in bringing the perpetrators to justice.