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Crime Reporter
Police have expressed concern over rampant cases in which armed robbers are targeting churches and stealing money. Several churches in and around the city have lost undisclosed amounts of money and property to criminals who are targeting them, especially at night.

Most of the churches do not deposit their money with banks and prefer to keep it in safes and offices.

“It has come to the attention of the police that robbers are now targeting churches, particularly on Sundays and robbing them of church collections, the most affected church being ZAOGA.

“While the Zimbabwe Republic Police is doing everything in its power to ensure that such cases do not occur, members of the public are urged to be vigilant and report suspicious persons to the police,” said chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba.

She urged church authorities to regularly deposit their money with financial institutions to avoid such cases.

In November last year, three robbers who broke into the Glen Norah B branch of Glad Tidings Church in Harare and stole a safe containing US$30 000 were sent to jail.

Harare magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya sentenced Prince Makodza (24) and Alouis Nyamadzawo (38) to seven years each, while their accomplice Knowledge Kamucheche (37) was sentenced to six years.

A ZAOGA church in Vengere high-density suburb of Rusape lost US$1 200 to five robbers.

Police confirmed the robbery and said Garikai Mukoyi (32), a security guard at ZAOGA Church in Vengere, Rusape, was on duty when five robbers struck.

In December 2013, a robber pounced on Methodist Church members at Mupandawana Growth Point in Gutu and took away their mobile phones and cash.

The robber sneaked into Mupandawana Methodist Church through a broken window and robbed the worshippers gathered for an all-night prayer.

The robber vanished with six cellphones, US$40 and a handbag.

In November 2012, security guards at United Family International Church premises in Chitungwiza were robbed of goods worth US$13 080 by three armed robbers.

The three robbers were later arrested.

A man recently appeared in court for attempted unlawful entry into the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Harare.

The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStats) said recently that armed robbery and plain robbery cases were on the increase in the country.