HARARE – A wildlife conservancy was robbed of US$17,000 in cash on Saturday morning during a gun raid by 10 men, police said.
Mukuvisi Woodlands, described as a safari in the city, is a 275-hectare conservation area about 7km out of Harare on Hillside Road. It is across the road from Rhodesville Police Station.
National police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said 10 men armed with a rifle stormed the administration office at around 1AM and captured two guards and a caretaker. The men also carried catapults, hammers and iron bars.
“The suspects stole US$17,320 cash, laptops and mobile phones all valued at US$19,040 and fled,” Nyathi said.
Detectives who arrived at the scene within minutes picked up US$5,030 which was scattered around the crime scene – apparently left by the robbers as they fled.
Zimbabwe has witnessed a spate of armed robberies in recent months, some resulting in deaths.
On Sunday, Nyathi told state media that police were “on top of the situation”, denying that they were overwhelmed.
“We were recently given brand new all-terrain vehicles for the CID Homicide section and also a substantial amount of fuel for operations. We are well equipped to fight armed robberies,” Nyathi said.
