Robbers strike
Use machetes, hammer to subdue residents
THREE people were seriously injured following deadly attacks by machete wielding robbers who pounced on several houses in Mutare’s Morningside medium density suburb last week. The cheeky and violent robbers hit three houses last Thursday night before vanishing with an assortment of household properties, cell phones and laptops.
During the attacks, the robbers hacked victims with machetes in order to subdue them into heeding to their demands.
Deputy Manicaland police spokesman, Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda, confirmed the robberies.
He said detectives were working flat out to solve the crimes.
“One on the robberies was perpetrated on November 4 along Flamingo Drive in Greenside. On the day in question the complainant was walking in Flamingo Drive going home when she was approached by three suspects holding machetes and a hammer.
“The suspects demanded valuables from the complainant but she resisted. One of the robbers then struck her with a hammer on the head and she sustained injuries. The robbers stole her satchel which contained some clothes and a Samsung smart phone. After committing the offence the robbers fled from the scene and nothing has been recovered,” he said.
On November 17 the robbers struck again.
“At around 3am on the day in questioned three suspects pounced on a house along Hibscus, Palmerstone suburb. They broke the main door of the cottage at the house where Howard (24) and Hillary Kufakunesu (43) live. Upon gaining entrance they proceeded to Howard’s bedroom and demanded valuables from him. Howard screamed for help but the robbers were not moved by his actions.
“They took a grey laptop bag which contained a Dell laptop and a Samsung S4 smart phone. At that time Hillary was awakened by the noise and he went to the room and found out that the robbers had already disappeared.
‘‘After about 10 minutes the suspects came back and threw stones at the dining room and they broke some windows in the process. The suspects forcibly opened the dining room door using an unknown object to gain entry.
“After sensing danger, Howard rushed to the main house to seek assistance but no one responded. At that time the suspects manhandled Hillary and force-marched him to the bedroom.
‘‘They demanded cash. One of the suspects struck him three times on the head and once on the right hand with a machete,” said Ass Insp Chananda.
They went to the bedroom and took a plasma television set, a PVR decoder, a laptop and a cell phone.
The robbers then went on to hit a house in Morningside the same night.
When they arrived at the house, they opened doors of a vehicle that was parked outside. Occupants at the house were alerted by the car alarm and they went outside to investigate.
Little did they know it was a trap. While outside, the robbers then attacked them with machetes and a catapult.
After the attack, the robbers stole cell phones and laptops before vanishing into the darkness.