Rutendo Chirume
MASVINGO – Police in Masvingo have urged members of the public to report incidents of robbery and theft to law enforcement agencies following the circulation of social media alerts warning of a spike in violent crimes in parts of the city.
The warning messages, which have been widely shared on WhatsApp social media platform allege that a gang of four armed men has been targeting motorists, passengers and pedestrians near the Mususu area in Rujeko C and along Great Zimbabwe Road close to Masvingo Polytechnic.
According to the alerts, the suspects allegedly pose as genuine customers seeking transport at Masvingo Polytechnic before robbing drivers and passengers along the route. Pedestrians traveling through the area from around 7pm have also reportedly been targeted.
“We have received disturbing reports of robbery and rape cases occurring near Mususu area in Rujeko and Masvingo Poly, along Great Zimbabwe Road.
“Four Armed robbers are posing as genuine customers needing transport at Masvingo Poly. Once they get a ride, they rob the driver and passengers along the way. They are also targeting pedestrians walking at that area from around 1900 hours,” partly reads the message.
Responding to the circulating messages, Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said while community awareness initiatives are commendable, victims and witnesses should prioritise reporting crimes to the police before posting them on social media.
“The awareness message is okay, but we encourage people to report such issues to the police first,” said Dhewa.
He said timely reporting enables the police to respond effectively and conduct investigations without unnecessary delays.
“People or victims of any robbery or theft should report to the police first before social media, as this helps us to do our work. Sometimes social media messages may reach us later,” he said.
Dhewa added that the Zimbabwe Republic Police is equipped with advanced methods of investigating and combating crime, but these efforts can only be effective when incidents are reported promptly.
“The police are capacitated with advanced technological methods to curb crime. Therefore, people should not incapacitate the police and deny themselves justice by failing to make official reports, as we cannot always monitor social media platforms,” he said.
He also urged residents to take precautionary measures, particularly during the night.
Police have encouraged anyone who falls victim to crime or witnesses suspicious activity to report immediately at the nearest police station to facilitate investigations and help bring perpetrators to justice.
