BULAWAYO – Five men posed as customers and then whipped out guns in a lightning-speed robbery of a CBZ bank in Bulawayo on Tuesday, witnesses said.

Law enforcement sources said the robbers, who had been in a queue, forced cashiers to hand over US$70,000 and R76,000 in cash before they trotted out of the bank at corner 10th Avenue and Fife Street.

The robbers jumped into a silver Honda Fit with no number plates and drove off with no challenge from the bank’s internal security guards.

Police spokesman Assistant Commisioner Paul Nyathi said they were investigating.

The robbery, just after midday, was witnessed by scores of terrified customers.

One said: “It happened so fast. One minute we were all queuing to be served and the next we were lying down at the threat of being shot.”

Targeted … Scenes outside CBZ bank a few hours after it was robbed on Tuesday, September 13, 2022

The robbery comes just over a month after a cash-in-transit van dropping off money at a Mukuru branch on Lobengula Street and 13th Avenue was targeted. Four men wearing balaclavas got away with US$100,000 and R500,000 in the raid on August 1.