Vusumuzi Dube
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
BULAWAYO police are on the hunt for nine suspected armed robbers following two property raids that occurred on Tuesday in the Kelvin industrial area.
In the first incident, two individuals reportedly fled with US$681, while a second gang of seven men made off with US$521.
Bulawayo Acting Police Provincial Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed both incidents.
“Police are investigating a case of armed robbery which occurred at a Liquor Wholesalers situated along Khami Road Kelvin North, Bulawayo, where the accused persons are 07 unknown male adults.
“On 10 December 2024 at around 830pm, accused persons who were armed with an unidentified rifle entered into the yard by jumping over the durawall, confronted the security who was standing by the main gate and asked the security guard the place they keep their cash and he failed to reply out of fear and quickly ran outside the gate,” said A/I Msebele.
She said while the security guard was running, he heard a gunshot and ran fast proceeding to the police. Along the way, A/I Msebele said the security guard discovered that he was hit with an unknown object and bleeding from the forehead.
“On their way to the warehouse, accused persons met a general employee who was offloading liquor from a truck, he was hit with an unknown object on the back of the head.
“Accused persons entered into the warehouse where they assaulted several workers and fired some gunshots ordering all workers to lie down and they complied. They took US$521-00, ZAR 200-00 and they then loaded some full bottles of whisky into a satchel and they ran away using the dispatch entrance,” said A/I Msebele.
Meanwhile, the police are appealing for information that may lead to the arrest of two other accused persons who robbed a fuel garage in Kelvin, Bulawayo.
A/I Msebele said on 10 December 2024 at around 9pm, a female adult aged 35, who is a petrol attendant was on duty with her two colleagues when accused persons who were putting on face masks, approached the service station carrying an empty metal container in pretence of buying fuel.
“The accused person who was holding an empty container ordered the other one who had produced a rifle, to shoot the security guard. The security guard tried to run away and was shot at the back and he fell down and they disarmed him of his revolver.
“Accused persons manhandled them and force marched them to their offices demanding cash and valuables. They took US$ 681-00 cash, and their cellphones. The accused persons then fired another shot in the air before disappearing into the darkness with a revolver,” said A/I Msebele.
She said a police report was then made and no arrests were made. The security guard sustained a gunshot wound and was referred to Mpilo Hospital for medical attention and his condition is serious.
She urged petrol attendants not to keep large sums of money on themselves but to deposit their monies in the safes.
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