Five armed robbers attacked a security guard, blasted open a CBZ Bank ATM and escaped with more than US$30,000 and ZiG15,000 during a daring overnight raid in Murehwa Centre, Mashonaland East Province.
The robbery took place shortly after 2am on Tuesday, when the business centre was largely quiet. The gang is said to have split up during the operation, with two of the suspects confronting the guard at the CBZ branch while the other three moved towards nearby premises, including CABS Bank and Teachers Hardware.
The two security guards stationed at the nearby businesses managed to escape unharmed. At the CBZ branch, however, the guard was reportedly disarmed and assaulted before the robbers turned their attention to the ATM. Explosives were used to break open the machine and remove the cash inside.
The suspects then fled before police could reach the scene. Their route and means of escape had not been disclosed, and no arrests had been announced by the time of publication.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the robbery and said investigators were working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the attack.
“We are investigating an armed robbery incident which occurred in Murehwa where five suspects blew up an ATM and went away with US$30,000 as well as ZiG15,000.”We will release more information later as investigations continue,” Comm Nyathi said.
The blast and the assault on the guard left residents concerned about security in the growing centre. The attack was discovered as the town prepared for the start of another working day, with the damaged ATM and the events of the night becoming the main subject of discussion among residents and businesses in the area.
One resident, who declined to be named, said the robbery had deepened fears among people who depend on Murehwa’s shops, banks and money outlets for their daily business.
“We woke up today (yesterday) to this devastating news that our area has been attacked by armed robbers and some money has been stolen.”This is scary and we are concerned with this spate of robbery incidents as citizens and Government should put a stop to this.”We are now afraid to conduct our business due to these criminals.”
Another resident urged investigators to move quickly and arrest those responsible for the attack.
“We have trust in our police to deal with these issues promptly. We know they are capable of finding these culprits.”What happened in Murehwa is wrong. To our police, please help us and bring these people to book. Murehwa and the entire nation should be free from these armed robbers.”
The Murehwa raid is the latest in a series of attacks on businesses and facilities that handle large amounts of cash. The pattern has included mobile-money outlets, cash-collection centres and bank ATMs, with robbers taking advantage of quiet night hours or moments when employees are closing for the day and counting takings.
In Bulawayo, three robberies between July 13 and 17 resulted in more than US$64,000 and R1,000 being stolen from mobile-money outlets and a cash-collection centre.
The first attack took place on July 13 at a mobile-money booth at Emganwini Shopping Centre. Two armed suspects raided the outlet and escaped with US$2,000 and Econet airtime worth US$280.
Three days later, another mobile-money outlet was targeted in Cowdray Park as workers were closing for the day. The robbers reportedly locked employees and a customer inside an office before taking US$8,653, R1,000 and two mobile phones used to process transactions.
The largest of the three Bulawayo robberies was carried out on July 17 at a cash-collection centre along Fort Street. Four armed men entered while 16 cashiers were reconciling the day’s takings. The gang ordered the employees to lie on the floor at gunpoint before escaping with about US$53,000.
The attacks have placed smaller financial outlets and cash-handling businesses under renewed pressure to protect workers and money during vulnerable periods. In Murehwa, the robbers did not need to enter the banking hall or confront customers. They focused on the ATM after overpowering the guard and used explosives to force their way to the cash.
Another attack was reported at the ZB Bank branch at Mpandawana Growth Point in Gutu, Masvingo Province. In that raid, robbers are said to have entered through the roof before blasting an ATM inside the bank. The alarm was triggered during the night, and the bank manager was injured while trying to get away after encountering the intruders.
The repeated targeting of ATMs has brought renewed attention to the security of cash facilities outside major cities. In smaller centres, banks and money outlets often sit close to shops, hardware stores and other businesses, creating several possible targets within a short distance. The Murehwa suspects reportedly moved between three such premises before concentrating on the CBZ ATM.
Police investigations in Murehwa are expected to focus on the damaged machine, the explosives used, the assault on the security guard and the movements of all five suspects before and after the blast. Detectives will also need to establish whether the attackers had information about the amount of cash held in the ATM and the security arrangements at the bank.
For residents, the robbery has changed the mood in a town where people normally conduct business late into the day and rely on local financial facilities. The demand from the community is for a swift investigation, the recovery of the stolen money and the arrest of the gang that carried out the attack.
As officers continue to gather information, Murehwa remains alert after one of the most forceful robberies to hit the centre in recent times. The assault on the guard, the attempt to reach nearby premises and the explosion at the CBZ ATM have left investigators with a detailed crime scene and residents waiting for answers.