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Crime Reporter

Police are hunting six armed robbers who attacked two security guards delivering Zupco’s weekend cash collections at CBZ Eighth Avenue Branch in Bulawayo, disarmed them and hijacked their armoured vehicle before getting away with an undisclosed amount of money.

The attack on Monday around 8am, in the full view of people oblivious of the drama unfolding in the service lane along Eighth Avenue between Jason Moyo and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Streets.

The gang first hijacked a Mercedes Benz in Selbourne Park suburb around 7am and used it to commit the robbery. The driver of the hijacked Mercedes Benz is recovering in hospital.

After the robbery at the bank, the gang drove the armoured vehicle to Woodlands suburb where they dumped it before hijacking another car, this time a Nissan Hardbody, which they used as a getaway car before dumping it.

In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police had launched a manhunt for the six armed robbers.

“The ZRP is appealing for information which can lead to the arrest of six armed robbers who are using a black Mercedes Benz C200, registration number AFB 0202 to rob members of the public. The gang committed robbery cases in Kezi (Matabeleland South) and Bulawayo on 2nd November 2020,” he said.

On Monday, a Fawcett cash-in-transit team was delivering cash from Zupco, basically fares collected over the weekend, and arrived at the service lane behind the CBZ branch with about nine trunks containing money.

As they were taking in one of the trunks into the bank, a Mercedes Benz that had been hijacked earlier on, drove behind them.

About six suspects who were armed, attacked the Fawcett driver, took away a firearm that was on the dashboard and then turned on the other guard who was guarding the other trunks, and again attacked him before driving the armoured vehicle off with the cash.

The robbers later dumped three empty trunks while driving towards Woodlands Shopping Centre.

Fawcett managing director, Mr Andy Laing confirmed the robbery in an interview with our Bulawayo Bureau.

“In a nutshell, our vehicle was attacked when they were delivering cash at CBZ in Bulawayo, 8th Avenue Branch.

“I am not sure how many armed robbers were there, but they were several, at least four. There were two getaway cars, one of which was stolen in Bulawayo,” said Mr Laing.

CBZ regional manager Mr Abisha Gweshe, referred all questions to police.