Gang raids Chitungwiza home, gets away with US$21 ...

Gang raids Chitungwiza home, gets away with US$21 500, R39 000

Zim Now Writer

A gang of robbers who were armed with machetes and pistols pounced on a Zengeza 4, Chitungwiza, house around 7pm last Thursday before stealing US$21 500, R39 000 cash and other valuables.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Luckmore Chakanza said the robbers, who are not yet known, entered through an unlocked door and rounded up all three people in the house before tying their hands and holding them hostage in one room.

They grabbed the occupants’ cell phones and started demanding cash, keys to the main bedroom and car keys.

The head of the family, Clyster Mtize, 35, around that time phoned home on a phone that was held by one of the robbers, who handed the phone back to one of the hostages, ordering the person to tell the father to come home immediately to attend to one of the children who was purportedly not feeling well.

Mtize then requested his brother to go to his house to check, but he was attacked with a machete on arrival at the gate before being force-marched into the house where the other three robbers searched him and stole US$3 500 from him.

Mtize and his wife later arrived but were also attacked with a machete by the robbers and the wife sustained a deep cut on the head.

The two were then forcefully dispossessed of their Beretta pistol with a magazine of six rounds, 14 rounds of ammunition which were in their gun cabinet, cash amounting to US$17 000 and R39 000 and a Samsung A32 cell phone.

A neighbour who had come to investigate after hearing noises was not spared as he was slapped before being tied with shoe laces and robbed of his GTel cellphone.

Three family members were left nursing deep machete wounds as the robbers fled with the loot.

Insp Chakanza said investigations were underway and urged members of the public to remain alert as armed robbers were on the prowl.