Online Reporter
Robson Sharuko
Metros Editor
MY God, he is so cute!
That was the verdict of some of our readers, who appear to be women, after we published the image of a man who police suspect is one of a gang of armed robbers.
The armed robbers have been terrorising residents of Mabelreign, Malborough and Westgate in Harare.
One of our readers dubbed him the ‘‘HANDSOME ROBBER.’’
Others were not happy with the complementary comments he was receiving, related to his looks, given the gravity of the cases he is being accused of committing. Police claim the same gang of armed robbers pounced on four schools, including an orphanage home in Westgate, killing one security guard and stealing more than US$31,000.
For weeks now, armed robbers have terrorised the residents of these neighbourhoods.
But a lucky break could provide police with the breakthrough they needed to arrest the suspects.
One of the suspected armed robbers had his image captured on CCTV at a crime scene, giving police a major breakthrough in their investigations.
Police have released his photograph and they are now appealing for help from the public to help them crack these cases.
It is this photograph, which has earned the suspected armed robber a group of admirers online, with many of them wooed by what they are calling “good looks.”
Yemurai Karen Bridge, one of our readers, commented online:
“Yuhwii ngavanake va criminal vacho.”
Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, said police obtained CCTV footage of a prime suspect.
The footage was captured at a crime scene.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police, Harare Province, is investigating a series of robbery cases reported in Mabelreign and the Greater Harare Suburban District since February 2026.
“Operations are underway to identify and apprehend the suspects,” said Insp Chakanza.
He added that the suspects, believed to be a gang of four, have been targeting churches, schools, and private residences, using violence to break into premises, subdue victims, and steal cash and valuables.
“In some cases under investigation, sexual offences are also believed to have occurred,” he said.
Police have intensified patrols and deployed additional resources in affected areas.
Insp Chakanza said investigations are ongoing and there were some promising leads.
Members of the public have been urged to remain vigilant, strengthen home and community security, avoid keeping large sums of cash at home, and report suspicious activity.
Here are some of the comments from our readers:
Handsome robber. — Mwana Wamainn Jay
*****
Ropa ramhanya mhanya pana amu criminal. — Rangarirai Nzirayagaza
*****
Ma soulmates enyu ari on the run, that’s why asiri kuwanikwa, hahahaha. — Justice Magagan
*****
Gaya unenge wasangana nemunhu uyo wototi wazviwanira mukwasha wa mai Yemu ahhh ende futi. I’m not blind and love is blind hahahahaha. — Yemurai Karen Bridge
*****
Kana mamuziva please batsirai vanhu. — Jean MaiChloe
*****
Ndibaba vaani, whose husband, whose son? — Webester James Nyamutsita
SIMILAR CASES WORLDWIDE – JEREMY MEEKS
Jeremy Meeks was arrested on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and when the Stockton Police Department posted his mugshot, it immediately went viral online.
American news outlet, Buzzfeed picked up the image and labelled the moment as a meme.
And, in a flash, Meeks was trending with women labelling him “The Hot Felon.”
He got all that praise related to his striking good looks despite teh women knowing that this was someone with a dark past who had spent over 10 years in juvenile detention and prison for various crimes.
Maybe, it was the way he grew up which influenced his path into crime at an early age.
“Both of my parents were heroin addicts. I was a heroin baby . . . My childhood was very dark,” he said in 2021.
“My dad committed a murder when I was nine months old and killed my mum’s best friend.”
When Buzzfeed asked him to describe his life, he told the outlet that it “it’s been a wild, wild ride, but I’m so grateful. I’m not taking anything for granted.”
What Meeks didn’t know was that his life was about to change.
He popularity online saw him become a model, actor and internet personality.
WADE WILSON — THE DEADPOOL KILLER
“Wade Wilson’s 2024 conviction for the brutal murders of two women in Cape Coral, Florida, United States, sent shockwaves through the community. Dubbed the Deadpool Killer by the media—due to his name and resemblance to the Marvel antihero—Wilson’s chilling lack of remorse made the case all the more disturbing,” wrote the A&E website.
“Wilson, 30 at the time of sentencing, was found guilty of the October 2019 murders of 35-year-old Kristine Melton and 43-year-old Diane Ruiz.
“In August 2024, a Florida judge sentenced him to death following a jury’s recommendation for capital punishment, making it one of the state’s most high-profile murder cases in recent years.”
But it was his appearance which thousands of women were paying attention to.
“Wade Wilson confessed to the savage murders of two women, yet even that brutality failed to repel admirers,” noted Fox News.
“The so-called ‘Deadpool Killer’ instead became the focus of a twisted, cult-like following, luring hundreds of women into pledging their loyalty to him.”
This even puzzled some experts.
“I’ve covered a lot of criminals and brutal murderers, but this is a remarkable phenomenon that circles him,” Brian Ross, the co-director and producer of “Handsome Devil: Charming Killer,” told Fox News Digital.
“Wade Wilson had hundreds of women who seemingly fell in love with him, wanted to marry him, even have his children — despite knowing some of the horrific details of his two murders.
“That, to us, was something that required a deep look. And the more we dug into it, the crazier it seemed.” There is even a Paramount+ true crime documentary which examines the case of Wilson.
“Wilson’s mugshot exploded across social media, sparking a wave of online fixation as many women openly romanticized his looks.
“That obsession intensified when he appeared in court dressed in colourful suits with his hair slicked back, turning the legal proceedings into a viral spectacle. An intense fan base developed on social media, specifically TikTok. Wilson basked in the attention, fielding a steady stream of jailhouse calls from ghoulish groupies, known as ‘Wade’s Wives,’ who fawned over his voice and looks.
“One woman demanded “marathon sex,” while another pleaded for him to impregnate her.”
