Chronicle Editor
Armed robbers have of late become so daring to the extent of exchanging gunfire with the police but what is comforting is that the police have prevailed in most of the cases.
Recently Bulawayo police shot and killed three armed robbers during a shootout after intercepting the robbers as they attempted to rob a city resident.
On August 7, six armed robbers attempted to rob a city businessman in Four Winds suburb and three of them were shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire with the police. The robbers had travelled all the way from South Africa to commit the robbery.
On August 9, another armed robber was shot and killed in the city centre at night and on the same night Constable Gibson Madzimure was shot and killed by robbers in New Luveve suburb during another exchange of gunfire between the police and robbers. One of the robbers was shot and injured but the gang managed to escape.
This new trend of robbers exchanging gunfire with the police cannot be allowed to continue. The police need to do more to rid society of these undesirable elements. The only language these rogue elements understand is to ’shoot to kill’.
We cannot allow a situation whereby the lives of our security forces are endangered by these criminal elements hence the need for change of tactics to ensure our police officers are better equipped.
Police should always prevail over these outcasts and this is only possible if they have superior weapons. We however want to commend the police officers for reacting swiftly to information provided by members of the public which has seen them intercepting notorious robbers that have been terrorising residents and businesses in the city.
The six robbers that were intercepted in Four Winds suburb have been making forays in the country from their base in South Africa and are alleged to have committed a number of armed robbers in the city.
What is disturbing is that these robbers are now trigger happy and are shooting their victims. A number of people have been injured while a few have been killed during recent robberies.
The upsurge in armed robberies has prompted the Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga to direct all provincial police commanders to deploy special units to robbery hotspots and it seems the move is paying dividends.
Most cities and towns including Bulawayo and Harare have witnessed an upsurge in armed robberies, a confirmation that guns are in the wrong hands.
What is encouraging is that police have apprehended some of the robbers while others have been killed during an exchange of gunfire with the police.
We want to once again appeal to our courts not to grant bail to these dangerous criminals who go on to commit more robberies while on bail.
Online Reporter