Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
BURGLARS broke into a takeaway in Bulawayo and got away with over US$7 000, laptops and cellphones.
On Wednesday night, the burglars broke the front door of My Chips Takeaway and then two other doors before using a grinder to open a safe that had forex. My Chips owner Mr George Yona said he locked his shop on Wednesday night and on Thursday morning he found the doors open.
“We have a take away and a supermarket. We knocked off at 7PM only to come in the morning and discover that the doors of the takeaway had been opened. There were no padlocks or chains. I had the keys to the supermarket and I went straight back to my office to where the safe was and I found it open and the place had been ransacked,” said Mr Yona.
“The safe was upside down and was empty, the laptops were no longer there and over US$7 000 was taken. I reported to the police and officers came and they started their investigations. Two cellphones for our EcoCash merchant codes were stolen.”
Mr Yona said despite the incident, business operations will continue.
“We are open today as they didn’t take anything like goods or supplies that affect our shop. They took money only so that didn’t affect the business that much. It’s only stressful that the shop has lost so much money,” said Mr Yona.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.
“We are investigating a case of a break in that happened at My Chips Takeaway corner 6th Avenue and Herbert Chitepo in Bulawayo. The owner of the shop left it locked and secure at around 7PM on Wednesday. But on Thursday morning, he found that the front door had been broken into,” he said.
“He noticed that there were people who had broken into the office through breaking down two doors and accessed his office. There, the safe it seems was opened using a grinder and US$7 865 was stolen, being sales from the previous day. They stole two laptops valued at US$2 000.”
Insp Ncube said business owners should ensure security at their premises.
“We urge companies and businesses to engage the services of night watchmen from sector companies. They should bank their money rather than keep it in shops. However, anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the criminals is free to approach any police station,” said Insp Ncube.
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