Armed robbers strike again.
On Tuesday 4 October, armed robbers intercepted 3 security vehicles transporting gold from How Mine about 10 kilometres from the mine, and got away with 11 kgs of gold. How Mine is located in Matebeleland-South province, about 30 kilometres southeast of Bulawayo in southern Zimbabwe.
Eyewitnesses said there was a gunfight involving security officers from a cash-in-transit truck and the suspects whose vehicles were left riddled with bullet holes. The armed robbers were using three vehicles, a Toyota GD6, a Nissan March and Nissan Hardbody single cab. How Mine’s internal security manager (name withheld) was following the three cash-in-transit (CIT) vehicles using a Toyota Fortuner from a distance when the ambush took place.
The security manager then pursued the three armed robbers’ vehicles leading to an exchange of fire. It is alleged that he managed to shoot the Nissan Hardbody which they then dumped. The manager then pursued the other two vehicles (Toyota GD6 and Nissan March) until Ekusileni Hospital (Hillside) towards the Bulawayo city centre, where the armed robbers managed to escape. How Mine’s security manager’s vehicle was left with numerous bullet holes.
A revolver gun was recovered from the Nissan Hardbody which was abandoned. Officials at the mine sent out a distress call warning nearby communities to be on the lookout for the two getaway vehicles. The gold which was destined for Fidelity Printers is worth about US$581 555 on international markets as of Tuesday 04 October 2022.
Zimbabwe has seen a rise in the number of armed robberies across the country in recent years. Whilst others attribute the rise in cases to unemployment, many feel that some of the acts are being carried out by trained security personnel who have access to the weapons. Lately, state security agents have been involved in most of the armed robbery cases in Harare. Others believe the ammunition is being sourced from neighbouring countries like South Africa and Mozambique where acquiring guns is relatively easy.
It is also worrying that most of these robbery cases are still unresolved as suspects remain at large. This leaves an information gap on where these weapons are being sourced from.
