3 days Ago By [email protected] (Unknown)
It is suspectedthat the same gang pounced at Total 2 CBD Service Station, and escaped withUS$390 that was in the pockets of the fuel attendant after failing to forceopen the safe. ActingManicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyokaconfirmed the robberies, saying five robbers tied a security guard, Mr BaldwinDumbuka and force-marched him into the council offices. “On April 10,at around 6pm, Mr Dumbuka commenced duty at Rusape Town Council premises andeverything was in order.
The following day around 1am, Mr Dumbuka wasapproached by five unknown males wearing balaclavas. “They werearmed with iron bars and a bolt cutter. The first suspect pushed open theguardroom door and ordered Mr Dumbuka to lie down, tied his legs using blanketthreads which they brought.
They told him that they only needed cash, and didnot want to harm him. “Four othersbroke into the offices, while one of them remained at the guard room guardingthe complainant. The robbers failed to locate where the safe was, and one ofthem returned to the guardroom, untied the complainant and force-marched himinto the cash office.
“Thecomplainant showed them, and he was tied again, and ordered to lie down in thepassage covered with trench coats. “The robbersblasted the safe with explosives, forcibly opened and ransacked offices insearch of cash. They also took the complainant’s small cellphone with twoBuddie lines.
They left Mr Dumbuka tied. The complainant later skipped outsidethe offices with his legs still tied, and called the neighbouring RusapeMagistrates’ Court security guard, Mr Hatidane Zvakare, who cut the thread andadvised the police about the incident,” he said. ZRP RusapeCentral and CID Rusape attended the scene, and no arrests were made.
On April 11, ataround 9.30am, the Scenes of Crime, Harare, CID Rusape and Rusape Centralrevisited the scene. The teamobserved that the accused persons had blasted the safe, but failed to blow itopen, and no cash was stolen.
Police havealso launched a manhunt for three armed robbers who raided Total ServiceStation, and stole US$390 from a fuel attendant. The robberswere stopped from breaking the safe following the arrival of security back upafter an alarm had been raised. AssistantInspector Chinyoka said the robbers were clad in uniforms similar to those wornby security companies, and armed with iron bars, hammers and a chisel.
“On the sameday around 4am, and at Total 2 CBD Service Station, three unknown robbersapproached the security guard, Mr Mutsa Chiteme and a fuel attendant, MrBrighton Bata, soon after he had finished attending to a truck, and about toget into the shop. Two of the robbers got into the shop, while one remainedoutside armed with iron bars, hammers and a chisel. “They were cladin a navy blue uniform similar to those used by security companies.
“They were allwearing balaclavas, and ordered the complainants to lie down, hitting them withiron bars and hammers on the joints. The first complainant was further hit onthe head by a rubber hammer, while the other robbers demanded cash. “The robbersasked to show them the safe, and the complainants complied.
They startedbreaking the doors using a hammer and iron bars. The first complainant pressedthe panic button, which alarmed the security company which was at the scenewithin 10 minutes. “One of therobbers who was close to the door alerted his colleagues, and they advancedtowards the security company vehicle.
“One of therobbers smashed and broke the windscreen of the security company vehicle. Therobbers fled across the Mutare-Harare Road towards the railways park. They lefta hammer and a torch inside the shop.
A police report was made. The total valuestolen is US$390, and nothing was recovered,” said Assistant InspectorChinyoka. Manica Post.
