BULAWAYO – A brazen armed robbery took place in broad daylight at a bureau de change in Bulawayo’s bustling central business district on Wednesday, resulting in the theft of over US$18,000 and R151,000. The robbers, numbering three, disarmed a security guard during the daring heist.
The incident occurred at approximately 8AM at Nkolozi Investments, situated on the first floor of the CIPF Building, located at the prominent intersection of Jason Moyo Street and 9th Avenue.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the details of the robbery, characterising it as a highly co-ordinated operation. This level of planning and execution has led investigators to suspect the possibility of inside involvement.
“The three suspects walked into the complex and made their way to the bureau de change, pretending to be customers. They then unleashed a short reign of terror, attacking the guard and seizing his firearm,” Comm Nyathi explained.
According to Comm Nyathi, the robbers demanded access to the safes and a remote key. In an attempt to cover their tracks, they also tampered with the closed-circuit television (CCTV) system, erasing footage from that morning. Before fleeing the scene, the suspects also made off with the employees’ mobile phones and an undisclosed amount of cash.
“We suspect this could be an inside job because of the precision with which the robbery was executed,” Comm Nyathi stated. “However, I want to assure members of the public that it is only a matter of time before the suspects are apprehended. Investigations are underway.”
In response to the incident, Comm Nyathi said that police have intensified crackdowns on armed robbery gangs, warning businesses handling large sums of cash to tighten their security systems.
A witness at the scene recounted the swiftness and unexpected nature of the robbery. “It happened so fast such that there was no time to react. We were all shocked and temporarily immobilised by what was happening. I have never experienced such a scenario and it was really scary,” the witness said.
Company officials at Nkolozi Investments have declined to comment on the incident, citing ongoing investigations.
The latest robbery comes amidst a concerning increase in armed robberies and hijackings in Bulawayo. Just last month, suspected robbers shot and injured a 33-year-old man, believed to be a foreign currency dealer, before robbing him of US$4,000 and R60,000.
Police have repeatedly voiced their concern over the growing problem of armed robberies, which often target banks, businesses, forex dealers, and individuals who keep large sums of money in their homes.
Zimbabwe has experienced several high-profile robberies in recent years. One of the most infamous was the US$4 million Ecobank heist, which took place in Bulawayo in October of last year. In that incident, the money was being transferred from the bank to a security van when the robbery occurred. The Ecobank robbery remains Zimbabwe’s largest cash heist in years.
The Ecobank case, in particular, raised significant concerns and highlighted the increasing involvement of organised criminal syndicates in armed robberies throughout the country.
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