Fawcett Cash-in-Transit truck robbed US$400K

From Abel Zhakata in Mutare
A CASH-IN TRANSIT truck belonging to Fawcett Security Company lost an undisclosed amount of cash destined for the Eastern Highlands Plantations in a well-planned highway armed robbery near Selbourne this morning.

Unconfirmed reports state that at least $400 000 meant to pay plantation workers their November salaries was lost in the robbery.

Four robbers, three of them disguised as genuine traffic police officers, pounced on the truck after stage-managing a road accident in which a haulage truck was deliberately rammed into the security company vehicle resulting in a head-on.

As the Fawcett security guards wreathed in agony in the ensuing carnage, the robbers swiftly arrived at the scene and pretended to assist.
Officer Commanding Manicaland Police (Operations) Assistant Commissioner David Mahoya said the robbers acted like genuine traffic police officers attending an accident scene.

“They asked the Fawcett guys if they had sustained any injuries. In the process they disarmed the guards and forced them to open the back of the truck where the money was at gun point. They loaded the money into the vehicle they were using and together with the driver of the lorry that got involved in the fake accident they sped off,” he said.

Ass Comm Mahoya said the police were yet to ascertain the actual figures stolen.

“Our detectives and traffic police officers are on the ground. We do not have the figures now but we will give you the numbers as soon as we get them. This was a well planned robbery disguised as a road accident. The robbers had information that the Fawcett truck will travel from Mutare enroute to the Eastern Highlands Plantations. They did their homework and staged the accident. The fact that the driver of the lorry that got involved in the accident with the Fawcett truck jumped into the getaway car with the robbers clearly shows that they were conspiring,” he said.