BULAWAYO – The shooting death of three suspects and arrest of four others on August 7 has brought police closer to solving two armed robberies which brought terror to Bulawayo residents.
Detectives responded to a report of an ongoing armed robbery on Franklin Drive in Fourwinds, Bulawayo, at around 4AM leading to a shootout.
Thamsanqa Mpofu of Kezi and Arnold Mpofu, 39, of Gweru died in the gun exchange with police while Nomore Hove, 39, of Gweru died in hospital where he was being treated for a gunshot wound on his right thigh.
Brian Nkomo, 31, of Mpopoma suburb in Bulawayo, Mthokozisi Moyo, 37, of Plumtree and Nkosilathi Ncube, 42, of Gwanda were taken into custody.
Ncube suffered a fractured left leg and is receiving treatment at the United Bulawayo Hospitals under police guard.
Interviews with the three surviving suspects have convinced police that the men took part in two notorious armed robberies – the targeting of Access Finance bureau de change in March and a raid on Choppies Supermarket in Parklands in May.
In the Access Finance robbery on March 10, the robbers got away with US$246,682, R947,169, P1,000, €100 and Z$11,404.
Armed robbers also targeted a security van picking up cash boxes from Choppies supermarkets on May 27. They struck as the van was making its final pick-up at Choppies Parklands and made off with Z$194,287, US$11,315, R35,595 and P25.
A police investigation led by the Criminal Investigations Department in Bulawayo has concluded that the men who were trying to rob mining equipment dealer Mikel Shawn Querl on August 7 “are the ones responsible” for the Access Finance and Choppies robberies which alarmed Bulawayo businesses and residents.
An internal police memo said the conclusion was based on “preliminary interviews” with the suspects.
There were 32 armed robberies in Bulawayo between March and June, and police hope the latest arrests could lead them to solving some of those crimes.
Police say the robbers stayed in South Africa, and made regular forays into Zimbabwe to commit crimes.
