By Agencies
POLICE have revealed that they recorded 1,340 armed robbery cases in the country in 2024 and the numbers fell to 1,282 cases last year.
Police national spokesperson, Commisioner Paul Nyathi, said although this represents a slight decrease, the figures remain unacceptably high. He said this requires collective action from both law enforcement agencies and the private sector.
Comm Nyathi said this during his presentation at the Peace Security Company workshop in Harare.
“Analysis of these robbery cases shows that criminals are becoming increasingly organised, violent and sophisticated,” he said.
“In many incidents, security guards manning premises are the first targets.
“They are attacked, tied up, assaulted and in some cases fatally injured as criminals seek access to cash, safes, strong rooms and valuable commodities.
“Business people are not immune. The nation still remembers the Mutangadura robbery case in which a businessperson was killed by armed robbers. Such incidents highlight the dangers faced by business people when criminals suspect that business people are in possession of cash or valuables. We continue to urge security companies and business owners to adequately train, equip and support security guards deployed at their premises.
“Criminals are becoming increasingly ruthless in their operations, making it imperative for organisations to strengthen preventive measures rather than relying solely on reaction after an incident has occurred.”
Comm Nyathi said another common offence affecting the business sector was unlawful entry into premises.
Criminals are breaking into warehouses, factories, retail outlets, offices and storage facilities to steal cash, equipment, fuel, stock, raw materials and other valuable assets.
“These incidents often occur at premises with inadequate lighting, weak perimeter security, defective alarm systems or insufficient surveillance.Theft cases also continue to affect many organisations. The Zimbabwe Republic Police regularly investigates cases involving theft of company funds, fuel pilferage, theft of stock, theft of minerals, theft of agricultural inputs and other forms of internal fraud.
“Investigations have revealed that some of these crimes are facilitated by employees or former employees with access to sensitive operational information.
“Indeed, one of the most significant observations from robbery investigations is that many robberies are masterminded using inside information. Criminals often possess detailed knowledge regarding cash holdings, banking schedules, payroll dates, security deployments, shift patterns, alarm systems and storage locations. Such information can only be obtained from individuals with direct or indirect access to organizational operations.
“It is therefore critical for companies to strengthen recruitment and vetting procedures.”
He said the business community must also pay particular attention to cash management practices. Large amounts of cash should not be kept unnecessarily at business premises.
“Cash collections should be banked promptly and businesses are strongly encouraged to utilise professional Cash-In-Transit services whenever large sums of money are being moved.
“Equally important is the need to safeguard information relating to financial transactions.
“Details concerning cash holdings, payroll schedules, banking arrangements and cash movements should never be disclosed to unauthorised persons. We continue to encounter robbery cases where criminals appear to have had prior knowledge of the exact amount of money being transported, where it was being taken and the route being used.”
He added: “The Zimbabwe Republic Police further encourages businesses to invest in modern security infrastructure. Effective alarm systems, CCTV surveillance, access control systems, perimeter lighting, secure fencing and properly trained security personnel remain critical components of crime prevention.
