Lone robber gets away with US$ 3 000

A LONE armed robber, but believed to be part of a gang t argeting businesspeople and i ndividuals keeping l arge amounts of money, raided a service station i n Norton on Saturday and stole more than US$ 3 000 from the cash office after t hreatening t he employees with a pistol.

But police foiled another armed robbery in Harare, arrested the three suspects and recovered the loot.

In the Norton robbery, police have since launched a manhunt for the suspect.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi asked any one with i nformation to contact the police.

Police have since questioned some of the employees in connection with the robbery case.

Police in Harare arrested three suspects who were allegedly the gang who attacked a 38- year- old man after blocking his vehicle with their getaway car.

The man and his colleague escaped and reported the matter to the police l eading to t he arrest of t he suspects, who were found at the scene.

The police not only arrested the three but subsequently recovered the stolen property.

The latest incidents come after cases of armed robberies have i ncreased countrywide with some of the criminals suspected to be t hose who were recently released from j ail on bail pending appeal.

At least 12 suspected armed robbers, including two ex- policemen who were released on bail pending appeal at the High Court last year, are still on police’s most wanted list for committing a spate of robberies in and around Harare and skipping bail.

A manhunt for the 12, and other wanted suspects, has since been launched.

Some are believed to have skipped the country to evade arrest since March last year.

They were once arrested but disappeared after being granted bail by the courts, resulting in warrant of arrests being issued against them.

Those being hunted down are Alouis Nyamadzawo, Decide Rice, Godfrey Josi, Elijah Temai Vumbunu, Leonard Huni, Fanuel Chikadaya, Peter Mushipe, Conwell Kasambarare ( 28), Musafare Mupamhanga, Spicer Takawira and the two ex- cops Watson Magodhi ( 37) and Ayanda Gumbo ( 28).

Most of the suspects have previous criminal records and warrants of arrests.