A man in Gweru, Zimbabwe, was robbed of 7 grams of gold and cash by three armed men posing as potential buyers. The incident occurred in Shurugwi, where the robbers approached the man while he was selling the gold. They offered a partial payment of US$200 and agreed to complete the transaction in Gweru.
Midlands Police Spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the incident saying the matter was now under investigation. The Chronicle cites him as saying:
The complainant was at Surprise Shops in Shurugwi looking for potential buyers while holding 7 grams of gold. He was approached by three unknown male adults who were driving a Honda Fit indicating they wanted to buy his gold.
However, during the journey, the robbers stopped the car, claiming a mechanical issue, and proceeded on foot. One of the suspects then struck the man on the head, rendering him unconscious. They stole his mobile phone, the gold, and the US$200. Mahoko added:
The suspects are still at large and police are appealing for anyone with information which may lead to their arrest approaching the nearest police station.
Gold buyers can be targets of robbers who pose as sellers and steal from them. In November 2022, a robbery occurred in Bulawayo where a gold buyer lost $350,000 in cash and other valuables. The unknown assailants, armed with a small firearm, approached the buyer claiming to have 50 grams of gold for sale. They proceeded to ransack the buyer’s home, taking the cash, a CCTV HDI server, and a main gate remote.