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Crime Reporter
A 32-year-old man lost R310 000 and three mobile phones to armed robbers in Masvingo on Saturday.The man, whose name police withheld, was offered a lift by the robbers when the incident happened. He was coming from Beitbridge and wanted to change rands into United States dollars.

National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul said “The man had organised to meet with an unknown foreign currency dealer in Masvingo, who operates a shop along Herbert Chitepo Street.”

Chief Supt Nyathi said on arrival in Masvingo the man phoned the dealer who told him he was home.

The dealer advised the unsuspecting man to board a Toyota Vitz parked in front of his shop.

Chief Supt Nyathi said the vehicle had no registration plates and had two occupants inside.

“He was told that the (occupants of the vehicle) wanted to deliver some goods to his home and that he should board that vehicle so that they would meet and he complied,” he said.

One of the occupants was seated at the back and the man sat on the front passenger seat.

The man was manhandled by the passenger seated at the back and his neck was tied with a shoelace.

One of the robbers pulled out a pistol and threatened the victim with it as they drove to another place in the city where they picked up a third accomplice.

They then went to Mbudzi residential area where they tied the victim’s hands and legs and covered his head with a T-shirt.

Chief Supt Nyathi said the robbers took his cash and three cellphones.

Investigations are underway and no arrests had been made at the time of writing.

Chief Supt Nyathi urged people to desist from moving around with large amounts of money as they risked being robbed.

Last month, a 40-year-old illegal gold dealer lost US$1 800 and 0,3 grammes of gold to four armed robbers who attacked him at his house in Nyanga.
The incident occurred at Shame Sachiwo’s homestead in Tore Village under Chief Katerere around midnight.