Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
PRELIMINARY investigations into the US$114 411 and R1 281 320 heist that occurred at Fawcett Security Company premises in Chipinge have revealed that the five armed robbers were acting on information supplied to them by a mole in the company, The Manica Post can reveal.
The armed robbery happened around 3am on Wednesday.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the heist, adding that intelligence gleaned from the ground indicate that the armed robbers were working in cahoots with a mole who supplied them intricate details of the Fawcett Security Company operations.
He said police would leave no stone unturned in their quest to bring all the culprits involved to book.
“Yes, the incident happened in Chipinge at around 3am on Wednesday, and so far what we have noted, from how the robbery was executed, is that the perpetrators had inside information on the operations of the security company.
“I can assure you that the police will be out in full force to ensure that this case is thoroughly investigated, and everyone who was involved is brought to book, and account for their transgressions,” said Commissioner Nyathi.
Details of the robbery show that around 3am, two Fawcett Security Company officers — George Nhamo Sithole (59) and Dzime Sithole (46) (driver) — were on routine supervisory patrols using a blue Fawcett Isuzu vehicle, which Mole’s hand in daring US$114k, R1,2m heist exposed was parked at Farm and City shop in Chipinge town.
Suddenly, two masked individuals, armed with pistols allegedly emerged from behind the van, and ordered the two to disembark from the vehicle.
The suspects allegedly removed the two guards’ jackets and hats, and made the driver to surrender the car keys to them.
Investigations showed that the two guards complied with the instructions, and the accused persons wore their uniforms, and tied their hands at the back, before shoving and locking them in the vehicle’s cash compartment at the back.
Immediately, three other accomplices arrived, and joined their two colleagues, before driving off to Fawcett Security Company premises in Gaza Township.
Along the way, the accused persons stopped to load some unknown items in the vehicle, and proceeded to Fawcett offices, where upon arrival at the main gate, they ordered the security officer who was on duty, Mauka Chigonese (49) to unlock the gate.
After opening the gate, Chigonese was manhandled, and had his hands tied at the back by the suspects using some electric cables.
The armed robbers allegedly proceeded to disarm another security guard who was on roving duties, Taurai Tarangwa (48).
They allegedly removed, and used his shoelaces to tie his hands, before forcing him to summon Gordon Gurudza (49), who was monitoring the alarm system to open the office door.
Upon opening the door, Gurudza was ordered to lie facing down with his hands tied from the back using an electric cable.
The suspects allegedly damaged the alarm control board, exterior light, BVR Computer Camera Saver and two kits to avert detection, and destroy evidence.
The armed robbers allegedly vandalised the vault using a grinder, and stole cash that was stashed in six cash boxes.
They stashed the money in a sack which had cow feed.
They allegedly drove off to Moiplass Estate with the security guards at the back of the vehicle, and abandoned the truck, leaning on the trunk of a tree to prevent the complainants from getting out.
One of the complainants, Sithole informed the Fawcett brand manager, Mr Peter Kabaira about the incident, who immediately filed a report at ZRP Chipinge Urban.
Police attended the scene.
The police recovered a revolver, with no rounds of ammunition that had been abandoned at the front of the offices, a short gun revolver loaded with five rounds abandoned at the periphery of the premise fence, two used grinding discs that were left at the offices as well as another revolver with no rounds of ammunition that was left on the bonnet of the Isuzu truck.
They also recovered a pair of pliers, two screw drivers, shifting spanner, one bullet proof jacket, two Fawcett jackets, and one empty bottle of pepper spray.
No arrests have been made so far, and nothing was recovered.
All the five complainants were neither harmed nor robbed of their belongings.
