Fawcetts Security Robbed Of Over US$111,000 And R1.28 Million

A Fawcetts Security facility in Chipinge was robbed of US$111,000 and R1.28 million by at least five suspects around 3 AM on Wednesday.

According to an internal police memo, the robbers first targeted two Fawcetts Security guards who were on rapid response duties and had parked their branded Isuzu KB250 in the town centre. Reads the memo:

The armed robbers first targeted two Fawcett Security guards that were on rapid response duty and had parked their branded Isuzu KB250 in the town centre.

Two of the armed robbers that were wearing balaclavas approached the two security guards on either side of the car, and ordered them to open the car doors at gun point.

The guards were then force marched to the back of the van, where they were shoved into the cash compartment with their hands tied to their back with cables.

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Police said the two robbers drove the van to an unknown location where more men, at least three, jumped into the van armed with an assortment of tools including grinders, hammers, torches and iron bars.

The robbers, according to police, forced the Fawcetts guards to hand over their jackets and caps.

Two robbers occupying the front seat then dressed themselves as Fawcetts guards.

The gang drove to the Fawcetts depot at 1530 Gaza O Light Industry, where some local businesses keep their money overnight before banking. Reads the memo:

Upon arrival at the office main gate, the accused persons managed to deceive a guard who was manning the entrance to open for them.

The accused persons entered the yard and when the guard was closing the gate, two of the robbers jumped from the motor vehicle and manhandled him and force marched him towards the offices with both of his hands tied with cable ties from the back.

The Fawcetts guard was disarmed of his Rossi revolver, while a second guard conducting perimeter checks was stripped of his shotgun.

According to the police, the robbers proceeded to damage all exterior security lights, break the manager’s office window, and disconnect the power supply to the alarm system. They also cut the output cable to the siren.

Inside the control room, the robbers quickly overpowered another guard monitoring the CCTV and disarmed him of his revolver.

With all guards accounted for, the robbers used a grinder to open a Chubb door leading to the vault, which contained six cash boxes.

They took turns breaking the padlocks on each of the metal cash boxes and emptied them of cash, loading the loot into the Fawcetts vehicle. Police said:

The robbers then bundled all the Fawcetts guards into the cash compartment of the van and drove off to a bushy area at Mooilsplas Farm, 6km north of Chipinge, where they dumped the guards and the motor vehicle.

One of the guards eventually managed to free himself and called for help.

Police later recovered the Isuzu keys, which had been discarded along with the Fawcetts uniforms, 54 km from Chipinge on the road to Birchenough.

The three firearms taken from the guards were discovered abandoned in the yard of the Fawcetts establishment.

In total, the robbers stole cash amounting to US$111,411 and R1,281,320.

More: Pindula News