Bulawayo, (New Ziana)-Police in Bulawayo are investigating an armed robbery case in which two unidentified men allegedly terrorised a family in Famona suburb on Monday, before getting away with more than US$8 000 cash and a motor vehicle.
Police confirmed the incident, saying it occurred at around 5 PM after the suspects allegedly targeted a 39-year-old woman who operates a Bed and Breakfast lodge from her home.
Bulawayo provincial deputy police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Thandekile Ndlovu said the suspects posed as potential clients seeking overnight accommodation before turning violent.
“On May 4 at around 5PM, a woman aged 39 years of Famona suburb was at her place of residence when she received a WhatsApp call from an unknown man who indicated that he was looking for accommodation to sleep overnight since she operated a Bed and Breakfast lodge,” she said, adding the suspect requested directions to the residence and later arrived accompanied by another man.
“Soon after they were ushered in, they produced pistols and threatened the complainant demanding cash. The complainant surrendered US$400,” she said.
Ndlovu explained that the situation escalated when the complainant’s uncle arrived at the house during the robbery.
“During the course of the robbery, the complainant’s uncle arrived and when he disembarked from his motor vehicle, the suspects pointed at him with a firearm and demanded cash from him. He surrendered his wallet containing US$180 and car keys for a Toyota Hiace,” she said.
The suspects allegedly subjected the family to a terrifying ordeal, threatening to harm children in the house if more money was not produced.
“The suspects switched on a steam iron and threatened to burn one of the children and to shoot the other in front of their mother,” Ndlovu narrated.
Fearing for the safety of her family, the complainant reportedly handed over an additional US$7 680 that had been kept in her bedroom, after which the robbers fled from the scene in the stolen Toyota Hiace vehicle.
“The total cash stolen was US$8 260 together with a motor vehicle and nothing has been recovered,” she said, and appealed to members of the public for information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects.
“One of the suspects was slim, tall, dark in complexion and was wearing a green chino pair of trousers, a black jacket, a black woolen hat and black tackies. The other one was medium in stature and was wearing a blue pair of jean trousers, white takkies with a blue Nike logo and a cap,” she said.
Ndlovu implored residents and business operators to avoid keeping large amounts of cash at home.
“We urge members of the public not to keep large sums of money at home but to bank it in order to avoid such incidents. We also appeal to anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects to report at any nearest police station,” she said.
Bulawayo, like several urban centres across the country, has in recent years experienced a rise in armed robbery incidents, with criminals increasingly targeting homes, service businesses and informal traders suspected of keeping cash on premises.
Police have repeatedly warned residents to improve security measures, avoid disclosing financial information to strangers and verify the identities of unknown visitors before granting them access into homes or business premises.
New Ziana
