Bank your money, businesses urged

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has exhorted members of the public to desist from keeping large sums of money in safes at their premises following an increase in cases of criminals targeting businesses, homes and filling stations countrywide.

In a statement yesterday, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) spokesperson Detective Assistant Inspector Portia Chinho said criminals were also targeting illegal currency dealers.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has noted with great concern the increase in armed robbery cases,” she said. “The criminals are targeting businesses such as service stations and shops. In other instances, illegal currency dealers are also being targeted.”

Det Asst Insp Chinho said in one of the cases reported on March 1, at around 12:30pm, a gang of five armed robbers approached a complainant who is employed as a security guard and was on duty at a local bus company in Harare and threatened to shoot him with a pistol.

They force-marched him to a room where three other employees were asleep. The gang tied all the four employees with electric cables and left them guarded by one of their members, while the other four went upstairs where the safes were kept.

“The suspects used explosives to break the safes and stole $17 000 cash and a pistol which was also in the safe,” said Det Asst Insp Chinho. “The accused persons went away, leaving the four tied.”

Det Asst Insp Chinho said it had been noted that people were keeping large sums of money at their homes or workplaces, making them targets for criminals.

“It is against this background that the police are encouraging business people to bank all cash and avoid keeping large sums of money at home or workplaces,” she said.