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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
ROBBERS who use spikes and also pounce on motorists who would have had breakdowns, have resurfaced on major highways leading from Beitbridge to Bulawayo and Harare.
The robbers patrol the highways in vehicles and pounce on motorists travelling after 9pm.
They are allegedly operating on a radius of between 50km and 80km on both roads from the border town.
The spikes are largely being used on a stretch of the highway near the Bubi area where the road is being upgraded and there is a detour.
Along the Bulawayo road, criminals are pouncing on motorists between Bishopstone turn-off and the Musane turn-off.
The police officer commanding Beitbridge District, Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo said they had received five reports of highway robberies since the beginning of this month.
“We are worried about this new trend in robberies where criminals are patrolling the roads at night targeting those who would have had breakdowns or using spikes to immobilise vehicles,” he said.
“Two incidents were recorded along the Beitbridge to Bulawayo Road between the Bishopstone turn-off and the Musane turn-off, while three occurred at the detour at Bubi (80km) along the road leading to Masvingo.”
Chief Supt Nyongo said all the cases were still under investigation and they were yet to make any arrests.
He said it was important for motorists to travel during the day to avoid such incidents.
Where possible, he said, motorists should drive in convoys to minimise the risk of being attacked considering that most of the victims were lone motorists.
Of late, there is an increase in motorists using the two major roads which connect Beitbridge and the rest of the country, as more Zimbabweans arrive from Eswatini, Lesotho, and South Africa for Christmas and New Year’s Holidays.
Figures from the Department of Immigration indicate that an average of 4 000 people have been using the border daily since December 10.
Most travellers are using their private vehicles, while a sizeable number is using buses. — tupeyo
Online Reporter