The Sunday News
Francis Mvalo/Loveness Mpofu, Sunday News Reporters
IN another dramatic movie style robbery, three men, one armed with a pistol pounced on TM North End in Bulawayo on Friday evening, ordering everyone to lie down before ransacking tills and making away with a yet to be ascertained amount of money.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango yesterday confirmed the incident and urged businesspeople to increase security at their premises.
“We want shop owners and security personnel guarding business premises to be alert all the time. We appeal to businesspeople to ensure that their premises are secure and that they have enough security guards, alarms and CCTVs to assist in monitoring their businesses,” she said.
The incident comes a few days after armed robbers pounced on Choppies Supermarket in Pumula South where they got away with more than $700.
The six-man gang approached the shop disguised as shoppers and robbed the outlet at gun point.
Sunday News visited the TM shop yesterday where witnesses described how the robbers executed their plan before getting away in a white Demio car.
A worker who declined to be named said the robbers pounced minutes before the shop was about to close. The worker said a man appeared from the entrance rushing into the shop carrying a pistol. He fired one bullet into the wall and ordered everyone to lie down.
“I was behind the cash collecting points monitoring one of the last transactions when I heard a gunshot. As I was still trying to get a full picture of what was happening I saw a man with a gun standing by the entrance. Suddenly he ordered over 50 people who were inside the shop to lie down. People started crying because the scene was horrific and terrifying,” said the worker.
He said the man’s two accomplices started ordering till operators to hand over the money they had.
“On their way out one of them tried to load the gun for the second time, but failed and the bullet dropped on the floor. They then fled from the scene in a white Demio. A police report was made at Bulawayo Central Police Station and the police came to record statements.”
Cases of armed robberies have been on the rise in Bulawayo with the police further confirming that at least five cases were reported in the last few weeks.
