Published: 15 hours ago

Three armed robbers staged a daring daylight heist at a bureau de change in Bulawayo's central business district on Wednesday, fleeing with more than US$18,000 and R151,000 after disarming a security guard.

National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident, describing it as a highly coordinated operation that may have involved insider assistance.

The robbery occurred around 8AM at Nkolozi Investments, located on the first floor of the CIPF Building at the corner of Jason Moyo Street and 9th Avenue.

"The three suspects walked into the complex and pretended to be customers. They then unleashed a short reign of terror, attacking the guard and seizing his firearm," said Comm Nyathi.

The gang allegedly demanded access to safes and a remote key, before tampering with the CCTV system and erasing footage from that morning. They also took employees' cellphones and cash before making their escape.

"We suspect this could be an inside job because of the precision with which the robbery was executed. However, I want to assure the public that it is only a matter of time before the suspects are apprehended. Investigations are underway," Comm Nyathi said.

He added that police have stepped up operations targeting armed robbery syndicates and urged businesses handling large sums of cash to strengthen their security systems.

A witness at the scene said the robbers fled on foot, suggesting they may have had a getaway car parked nearby.
"It happened so fast that there was no time to react. We were all shocked and temporarily immobilised. It was really scary," the witness said.

Company officials declined to comment, citing ongoing investigations.

The incident comes amid a surge in armed robberies and hijackings in Bulawayo. Just last month, gunmen shot and injured a 33-year-old suspected foreign currency dealer before robbing him of US$4,000 and R60,000.

Zimbabwe has seen a string of high-profile heists in recent years, including the US$4 million Ecobank robbery in Bulawayo last October — the country's biggest cash heist in decades — which highlighted the growing role of organised criminal syndicates in armed robberies.
- The Chronicle

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