COURT REPORTER
MASHAVA-Swift and tactical reaction by Absolute Security Services reaction team led to the arrest of one of the suspected six dangerous robbers that had pounced on Inotrade Service Station in Mashava today at around 4am.
The Absolute Security team was at the scene in record 15minutes after the robbery which has shaken the small community of Mashava, one of the shop keepers at Balmain Shopping Centre told The Midweek Watch team which was going to Bwanya for the Government Climate Funding launch today.
“The team was here in record time after one of the guards who was left tied by the robbers managed to raise alarm to their call centre in Masvingo.
“They arrived and untied the guard and another petrol attended, a shopkeeper and as soon as they were given the description of the robbers, they quickly left the scene and drove towards Masvingo City where they found the robbers matching the given descriptions 2km from here flagging down lifts, while their grey Toyota Wish without number plates was parked by the road side.
“They managed to arrest one of the six robbers and the rest flee in different directions into the dark leaving their car,” said the attendant who was visibly shaken and requested anonymity for fear of the robbers’ reprisals.
When The Midweek Watch arrived at Mashava Police Station the Toyota Wish was still parked there at around 9am while the suspect was detained in cells.
People who talked to this publication expressed gratitude to the way Absolute Security reacted to the incident which could have resulted in loss of lives as the victims were assaulted by the cheeky robbers.
“It is very rare to find a private security company reacting so quickly to a call involving robbers, they should keep it up, they are alert and swift, they appear to be well trained judging by their professionalism.
“It’s unfortunate that the money was not recovered, but the one who was arrested will help in apprehending of his partners in crime,” said Livingstone Vurayai a vendor at Balmain Shopping Centre.
Masvingo Province Police spokesperson, Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said he had not been informed about the robbery by the time of posting the story.
Efforts to get a comment from the Absolute Security team were fruitless as they said they had not been cleared to talk to the Press by their disrectors.
Vurayai said they heard that the robbers pounced on the service station at around 4am and tied the guard, fuel attendant and took US$120, did the same to the shopkeeper and ransacked the shop, where they took US$501 and airtime worth over US$300.
The six drove off in their Toyota Wish towards Masvingo City.
