EDITORIAL COMMENT: Rise in violent crime worrying

HOUSEON Monday and Tuesday this week, we reported on two disturbing cases of violent crime where families in Bulawayo’s Mpopoma and Famona suburbs were subjected to terror unleashed by armed gangs.

In the first article we ran on Monday, we reported that a five-man gang armed with axes and knives had unleashed a reign of terror in Mpopoma suburb, breaking into three houses in two nights between last Sunday and Thursday.

The gang, which paints its faces black, stole $200, cellphones, clothes and DVD players following their attacks on the three homes. Victims spoke of their terror at being confronted by the burglars who broke door handles to gain entry into homes. Ntombelanga Ngwenya, 31, said the burglars broke door handles to gain entry into her house on Sunday at around 2AM. She said they had locked the doors when they went to bed, but they were shocked to see five men inside their house.

“My husband and I were scared to death when we saw five men inside the house. They were carrying knives and axes,” said Ngwenya. “They demanded money from us and threatened to kill us. They hit my husband with a stick on the head when we told them we didn’t have money. They ransacked our bedroom and took $200 that was inside a jacket.”

Another resident, Wellington Hodzi, 23, said the gang gained entry into their house at around 1AM on Sunday and got away with a cellphone and a DVD player. He said the painted faces and knives struck such terror into his heart that he ran and locked himself in his bedroom while the gang helped themselves to property. “Two men got into the house and I ran for my life and locked myself inside my bedroom. They took a Huawei phone, my two trousers and t-shirts. I saw three other men standing outside,” said Hodzi.

On Tuesday, we reported how three men armed with knives stormed a house in Bulawayo’s Famona suburb where they threatened to kill the occupants before looting property worth more than $17,000 and escaping in the victims’ car.

The suspects, who are still at large, are said to have left their victims tied up with USB cables last Thursday. Sources said the trio entered the Famona residence owned by Eugene Fransch and his wife at about 11PM after the couple had retired to bed. “The robbers, who were armed with knives, threatened to stab the couple if they did not follow their orders. They demanded cash and were give $600,” said the source, adding that the robbers were enraged with what they called a pittance.

“They looted household property and loaded it into the family’s car. They used USB cables to tie up the couple before driving away. They stole a Nissan Tiida which they used as their getaway car. They stole property worth about $17,700. They took away $600 in cash, two cell- phones, an Apple laptop, PA system among other things,” the source added.

These two cases of violent crime are worrying and should jolt the police to act swiftly to contain the scourge before it gets out of hand. As we move into the festive season, cases of violent crime will rise and our law enforcement agents should devise effective ways of dealing with these malcontents.

The terror visited on the victims of the latest cases of armed robbery in Famona and Mpopoma suburbs and the trauma they went through as they were confronted by armed thugs is unwarranted and we urge the police to clamp down hard on this worrying trend. We also implore residents to work hand in glove with the police in containing crime. More often than not, perpetrators of crime reside within communities and are known.

Residents can assist the police by calling free hotlines, WhatsApp numbers or dropping hints in suggestion boxes available at most police stations.

Residents should also ensure that their homes are secure. The festive mood as we head towards Christmas is associated with merry-making and partying and it is during this time that criminal activity rises. Bulawayo and its surrounding areas have a large population of injiva who usually come back home from South Africa at this time of the year.

We urge them to behave in a responsible manner and shy away from anti-social behaviour. Police should always be vigilant and look out for unlicensed firearms at their various roadblocks in and around the Matabeleland region. There should be zero tolerance for violent crime.

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