Police suspect that five armed robbers who targeted the Fawcett Security Company premises in Chipinge on Wednesday morning, stealing US$114,411 and R1,281,320, received inside information from a mole within the company.
According to The Herald, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said intelligence gathered indicates the suspects collaborated with an insider who provided detailed knowledge of Fawcett’s operations.
Comm. Nyathi assured the public that the police would thoroughly investigate and bring all those involved to justice.
The incident occurred around 3 AM on September 4, when two Fawcett Security officers, George Nhamo Sithole (59) and driver Dzime Sithole (46), were conducting routine patrols in a blue Fawcett Isuzu vehicle parked at the Farm and City shop in Chipinge.
Suddenly, two masked men armed with pistols emerged from behind the van and ordered the officers to exit.
The suspects forced the guards to remove their jackets and hats, then demanded the car keys from the driver.
Complying with orders, the guards were then restrained with their hands tied behind their backs and shoved into the vehicle’s cash compartment, which was subsequently locked.
Three additional gang members arrived shortly after and joined the initial two, driving to the Fawcett Security Company premises in Gaza Township.
En route, the gang stopped to load various items into the vehicle before continuing to the Fawcett offices.
Upon arrival, they commanded the on-duty security officer, Mauka Chigonese (49), to unlock the gate. After he complied, Chigonese was assaulted and had his hands bound with electrical cables.
The robbers then disarmed another guard, Taurai Tarangwa (48), tying his hands with his shoelaces and forcing him to summon Gordon Gurudza (49), who was monitoring the alarm system, to open the office door.
Once inside, Gurudza was ordered to lie face down with his hands tied behind him using electric cables.
The gang proceeded to damage the alarm control board, exterior lights, and surveillance equipment, rendering them ineffective.
They then vandalised the vault with a grinder, stealing cash from six cash boxes and placing the money in a sack that previously contained cow feed.
The suspects drove off to Moiplass Estate with the security guards still in the vehicle, abandoning the truck against a tree to prevent their escape.
Sithole managed to contact Fawcett brand manager Peter Kabaira, who then alerted ZRP Chipinge Urban, prompting a swift police response.
Upon arrival, officers recovered an empty revolver near the front of the offices, a loaded shotgun abandoned along the perimeter fence, two used grinding discs and another empty revolver on the bonnet of the Isuzu truck.
They also found a pair of pliers, two screwdrivers, a shifting spanner, a bulletproof jacket, two Fawcett jackets, and an empty bottle of pepper spray.
Fortunately, none of the five Fawcett staff members were harmed or had their personal belongings stolen.
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