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Crime Reporter
ARMED robbers and housebreakers continue to terrorise Harare residents and police are concerned with the upsurge in such cases during this festive season.
Valuables like electrical gadgets, cars and mobile phones were the main targets by the criminals.
Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tadius Chibanda last week urged people to be wary of criminals.
He said five armed robbers raided a house in Borrowdale recently and got away with electrical gadgets, property and a Toyota Corolla.
“The robbers gained entry through an unlocked door and one of the robbers produced a pistol.
“The victim tried to resist and the robber fired one shot in the air before assaulting him,” Insp Chibanda said.
They ransacked the house and loaded the loot into the vehicle.
“On Saturday, another Harare man lost US$2 000 cash and three Nokia cellphones to four armed robbers who offered him a lift in Rhodesville to the city centre,” he said.
The incident occurred at around 5pm and the robbers were travelling in Nissan Caravan without registration number plates.
One of the robbers forcibly grabbed the victim from behind, while the other one produced a knife. They searched the victim.
Insp Chibanda said 20 minutes before the incident the same gang had robbed another man of US$67 and two cellphones in Msasa area. They had offered the man a lift to Mabvuku.
On Monday night, two people lost US$645 and two cellphones to six armed robbers who had offered them a lift in Mabelreign.
Another man lost a laptop and US$500 to five armed robbers in Eastlea under similar circumstances.
“These are some of the robbery cases reported in Harare. What is worrying is the rate at which they are occurring during this festive season,” said Insp Chibanda.
Online Reporter