Chantelle T Muzanenhamo
In a daring daylight robbery, six masked men armed with pistols stormed the EcoBank branch at the Parkade Centre, located at the corner of 9th Avenue and Fife Street in Bulawayo, making off with several trunks reportedly filled with cash. The heist occurred around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 3, 2024, in full view of stunned bystanders.
The robbers specifically targeted a Safeguard security officers when they were in the process of loading several trunks reportedly filled with cash into the bank.
Eyewitnesses described the scene, noting that the robbers arrived in a Ford Ranger pickup truck and quickly sprang into action.
One witness recounted, “As the Safeguard workers were trying to get safes from the bank, a Ford Ranger open truck appeared with six men wearing face masks. Suddenly, they fired a shot into the air, and the Safeguard workers immediately dropped to the ground. The robbers then dragged the safes into their vehicle and sped off down George Silundika Street”.
Authorities have indicated that the amount stolen is estimated to be around US$4 million, making this one of the largest cash heists in Zimbabwe’s history.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident, but the boldness of the criminals has raised serious concerns regarding the security of cash-in-transit services in the area.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has confirmed the incident launched an urgent investigation into the robbery, with initial findings suggesting that there may have been an element of an inside job or information leakage involved in the planning of the heist
The police have reassured the public that they are committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice, stating, “The law will certainly take course without fear or favour”. the statement reads
Authorities are hopeful that the recently installed CCTV cameras in Bulawayo’s city centre may provide crucial evidence to aid in the investigation. They are urging anyone with information about the robbery to contact the National Complaints Desk or report to the nearest police station.