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Crime Reporter
Private security companies have been urged to beef up their security measures following a spate of armed robbery cases countrywide, mostly involving cash-in-transit vehicles.
Armed robbers have also been targeting vehicles transporting gold from mines, prompting police to summon private companies to a security review meeting.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the recent meeting was aimed at exchanging notes to come up with strategies to improve security measures.
“Basically it was a meeting to exchange notes between the police and security companies in terms of fighting robbery cases.
“We have had robbery cases where cash-in-transit vehicles have been targeted so the main aim of meeting the security companies was to fight these cases,” he said.
On Thursday, Government said armed robberies were now a menace and that there was there was need for re-training of police officers to deal with the scourge.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the Security Association of Zimbabwe, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe said armed robbers had become sophisticated and increasingly difficult to catch.
Poor equipment and lack of proper technology for law enforcement agents was also cited as one of the major causes of failure to curb increasing criminal activities.
Police Deputy Commissioner-General Learn Ncube revealed that 8 542 robberies were reported in 2022 with 4 609 being armed robberies.
During the earlier meeting with police, security companies explained measures they had put in place so far to combat crime.
Triplate Security company managing director Mr Sam Paul said they had put in place adequate measures to ensure that they curb such cases.
“There is clear evidence that a well-planned crime prevention programme not only stops crime and robberies, but also fosters community safety. All citizens’ lives are improved by effective, ethical crime and robbery prevention.
“Long-term gains include reducing the costs associated with the formal criminal justice system, as well as other social costs that result from robberies.
“Robberies and armed hold-ups are serious and potentially dangerous crimes that can cause emotional and psychological distress to victims even when they are not physically hurt. Particularly at risk are businesses that hold large amounts of money, that trade late at night, that have few employees on site, that regularly deal face-to-face with customers or are located in an isolated area,” he said.
Mr Paul also urged businesses to avoid holding large amounts of cash at operational sites as they would be targeted by robbers.
Strike Security and Chitkem Security also said they had put in place measures to protect their clients’ money and valuables.
There have been concerns over an increase in armed robberies countrywide. Recently, armed robbers pounced on CBZ Bank’s Fife Street branch in Bulawayo and got away with US$70 000.
Four days later, business came to a standstill in Bulawayo city centre when police cordoned off streets leading to Fidelity Building where armed robbers sneaked out with US$6 270 as well as R5 000 from one of the offices in the 12-storey building. Last month, a gang of 13 armed robbers ambushed three Securico Security company cash-in transit vehicles, about 10 kilometres from How Mine and got away with four guns and 11,9kg of gold worth US$450 000. The incident occurred at around 7:30am at the 21km peg along the Bulawayo-How Mine Road.
The robbers who were travelling in three cars, a Toyota Hilux GD6, a Nissan Hardbody single cab truck and a Nissan March, ambushed and blocked the convoy before disarming the security guards and grabbing the gold which was being transported to Fidelity Printers.
Online Reporter