daniel chigunwe
Arron Nyamayaro
CRIMES being committed using firearms have risen THREE-FOLD in what represents a huge escalation and calls for an equal response from authorities and their partners in the fight against crime, a senior police officer has said.
Security guards have also been thrown under the spotlight for the roles which some of them are playing in the planning and execution of heists across the country.
In his speech at the Security Stakeholders meeting, Officer Commanding Harare province Commissioner Maxwell Chikunguru, said there must be intense vetting before security companies employ their guards.
The speech was read on his behalf by Assistant Commissioner Sithulisiwe Mthimkhulu who is responsible for crime and operations for Chitungwiza and Epworth.
He noted with concern the alarming rise in insider jobs, where some of the security guards become embroiled in criminal activities, while others leak critical information to the criminals.
“We deeply respect and appreciate all of you our partners in security, including security companies, officers, and loss control professionals,” said Comm Chikunguru.
“You are the frontline promoters of safety for the local businesses and communities.
“As you might all be aware, security is now demanding more than ever, as crime continues to escalate and evolve in sophistication.
“We are witnessing not only a rise in traditional crimes, like thefts, robberies, burglaries and others, but also the emergence of advanced tactics that criminals employ to evade security measures. Notably, the use of firearms in crime has trebled, underscoring the urgent need for your security guards to be vigilant, well-trained, and adequately equipped.”
He added:
“Our modern-day criminals are increasingly daring, perhaps fuelled by the drugs they consume, they strike even in broad daylight.
“Many of these individuals are career criminals who live off illegal activities.
“Such full-time criminals cannot be effectively countered by less committed security personnel.
“Therefore, I call for enhanced supervision and monitoring of your guards to ensure that they remain alert.
“It is also vital to provide proper remuneration to motivate them to excel in their duties as they may be tempted to abandon their posts if they feel the risks outweigh the rewards.”
Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Homicide Detective Inspector Anele Mkandla said:
“Sadly, security companies have been hit by armed robbers without offering any resistance and in some instances reaction teams are also cornered by these daring thieves and captured in the process.
“We have several scenes where reaction security teams were captured by robbers and have their service pistols stolen which will in turn be used in other robbery cases.
“The manner in which these guards are tricked and waylaid by robbers leaves a lot to be desired.
“There is a need to properly train security guards in weapon handling such that they can also offer resistance when faced with daring criminals,” Det Insp Mkandla.
The Assistant Commissioner responsible for crime in Harare, Peter Sibanda, urged security companies to continuously communicate with police in fighting crime.
The meeting was attended by various security firms.
Online Reporter