COMMENT: Security companies must invest much more on their systems

BULAWAYO has been at the mercy of armed robbers in recent weeks.

They are sleek in their operations, showing that they are knowledgeable about their targets, those who have witnessed the raids have said.

They hit and run away, in some cases, leaving security guards dazed at how they were outsmarted in broad daylight, possibly at the same time grateful to have been left alive.

Police also seem to be way behind the armed robbers as a number of them are still to be arrested.

The public is angry at the failure of law enforcement to account for the armed criminals. They are also fearful they could be the next victims.

But some of the successful hits recorded in the city lately have only succeeded because of astounding dereliction of duty by some security companies and businesses.

The most recent heist was on Thursday last week at a Choppies Supermarket in Bulawayo where armed robbers took away seven trunks containing $194 287, US$11 315, R35 595 and 25 pula.

Earlier, a gang of six raided a bureau de change in the city centre and made off with an undisclosed amount of money in foreign currency.

The robbery happened just after a cash-in-transit vehicle had left having delivered cash at the outlet. A Safeguard team driving a Honda Fit motor vehicle reacted to the robbery but was also disarmed and — to complete the humiliation — the security firm’s vehicle was highjacked.

In yet another robbery, four men armed with a pistol pounced on Trek garage in Gwabalanda and got away with more than US$15 000 and R800 after attacking the fuel attendant and security guard. In the other case, three men armed with pistols raided Amakhosi Service Station along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road at around 11PM.

Police have been forced to act, convening a meeting to discuss the armed robberies on Monday, of course, in addition to regular investigations that are initiated after crimes of this nature are committed. Investigations have shown that, said Officer Commanding Bulawayo Province Commissioner Patton Mbangwa at the Monday meeting, that some security companies are not serious with their jobs as a number are sending personnel armed, for lack of a better word, with toy guns for cash-in-transit tasks. Employment of old guards and their deployment for risky beats is common as well.

In the Choppies incident, the security company was carrying cash on a minibus instead of a specialised vehicle.

“There is a security company which actually gave its guards a toy gun (when) transporting cash, a toy pistol and it’s your money that is being guarded. We are saying security people should shoot at criminals. If you have guns, pistols, you should shoot at those people, shoot the cars, their tyres, you should disable those criminals,” said Comm Mbangwa.

Security companies are a critical sector in the protection of property and people in the country. They therefore, must have the right appreciation of the tasks they are engaged to undertake and the risks associated with the tasks. Having understood who they are, what is expected of them and the inherent risks, they must invest much more in their systems. Their guards must be in good physical shape, competitively paid, well trained and equipped.

But human beings are not perfect. As such, for security guards to be more effective, they must be supported by technology for greater surveillance, response, tracking and so on.

Comm Mbangwa made very critical disclosures on Monday, among them toy guns for cash-in-transit jobs.

However, we wish to add that the force must intensify its work to ensure that security companies put their act together. Police can, for example, make it a point that there are higher standards that security firms must be made to strictly adhere to. Security companies’ registration requirements must be tightened, guards’ training must improve and systems must work better.

We also look forward to arrests being made in connection with the heists that have occurred in the city. If the robbers are still out there, it is only a matter of time before they hit again.

Businesses that engage security firms need to build tight internal security systems too. This involves employment of loss control personnel to complement external guards, investing in advanced surveillance systems and so on.