-as Absolute Security spring to cordon off targeted pharmacy
MIDWEEK REPORTER
MASVINGO CITY-The sleepy leafy suburb of ZIMRE Park in Masvingo City woke up today (28/226) to disturbing news of cheeky armed robbers who tied three of their victims both legs and hands and went away with cash and property worth $6 667.
Police national spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the disturbing incident to The Midweek Watch but said he is yet to get details from the personnel on the ground.
“I can confirm that there was an armed robbery that happened today at around 2am in ZIMRE Park in Masvingo, but I am waiting for details from the province,” said Comm Nyathi.
Information gathered by this publication is that the five armed robbers violently entered at 63 year old Rudo Zvingambi Shabha’s residence in ZIMRE Park and gained entry into her house using a claw bar and tied her hands while demanding cash of which she surrendered $1 800 which she had.
They tied her hands using tyre levers.
The masked armed robbers asked the elderly woman to show her other rooms with people and out of fear she took them to Hebert Rice (20)’s room where they tied his legs and hands using tyre levers.
Rice surrendered $3 600 to the robbers. While Lynn Chiripamberi (42) parted with $180 and had her legs and hands tied with tyre levers as well.
The robbers took away the three’ sim cards and dumped them outside the house while their cellphones were left at a coffee table in the dining room to prevent them from seeking help.
The five were not done as they crossed the road to prominent pharmacist Simbarashe Chamboko (39) and Wensley Chamboko’s residence and fired some shots before gaining entry by opening the front door using claw bars.
The two were woken up by the banging of the doors and pushed all the furniture in the bedroom to the door while they lied down.
The robbers were firing bullets at the bedroom door, demanding money from the couple.
They literally pulled down the door and gained entry into the bedroom.
The two gave the robbers $87 and R100 but they demanded more as they appeared to know that they run a pharmacy in town.
They were told that the money that they wanted was at the pharmacy in town upon which they demanded keys to the premises.
They were given a bag containing the keys and they took a Samsung Note valued at $400 and a laptop worth $600 and disappeared into the night.
Meanwhile, Wensley had phoned Absolute Security reaction squad as soon as she heard the suspicious noise.
Absolute Security squad arrived at the scene and as soon as they heard that the robbers were heading to the pharmacy they dispatched a team there who cordoned off the area and foiled the robbery which could have been bigger.
A team member of the Absolute Security reaction squad told The Midweek Watch that they missed the robbers by a few minutes.
“We arrived at the scene soon after the robbers had just left and managed to secure the pharmacy after we heard that they took away the keys. We also proceeded to the other house which was also robbed and found the occupants who had their hands and legs tied while their phones were on the coffee table. It’s very fortunate that no lives were lost,” said the security officer.
The police arrived at the scene 30minutes after the robbers had left.
