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Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Correspondent—
THREE armed robbers pounced on three businesses in Mvuma including a fast food outlet and a lodge early yesterday morning and went away with cash and property worth $6,000. A manhunt for the suspects has since been launched. The first to be hit was Chicken Slice, a fast food outlet along the Mvuma-Masvingo Highway where the gang got away with about $600.

The armed robbers proceeded to Chicken Slice parking area where they demanded cash at gun point from three cross-border haulage truck drivers who were sleeping in their vehicles.

Police say the robbery suspects then went to nearby Nice Time Lodges where they attacked clients booked there.
Acting police spokesperson for Midlands province, Inspector Joel Goko said:  “Circumstances are that today (yesterday) and about 2.15AM three employees, Patience Ali, Lucia Chitimbe and Constance Chirambadare were on duty operating tills at Chicken Slice when three armed robbers entered the food outlet pretending to be customers. One of the suspects produced a $10 note and bought a chocolate bar from Ali’s till.”

Insp Goko said when Ali opened the till intending to give the suspect his change, he suddenly produced a pistol and demanded cash at gun point.
He said the other two suspects quickly entered the shop and one of them produced a knife which he used to stab Ali once on the arm.

“They then ordered all the employees to stand still as they searched their tills. They took $560 which was in Ali’s till and $8 from Chitimbe’s till before they walked out,”

Insp Goko added: “While outside the shop the three went to a parking bay where haulage trucks were parked. The truck drivers who were in transit were resting. They knocked at one of the truck drivers’ door and the unsuspecting driver, Dzingai Bvuta, opened.

Insp Goko said the three suspects jumped into Bvuta’s truck and demanded cash at gun point.
“They took $140 cash and a Nokia cellphone from Bvuta before they disembarked from the truck. They went to another truck which was driven by a Mozambican, Agular Adriano and took his 700 Metical, $2,150 cash and two cellphones valued at $1,200. They also took away some work suits,” he said.

Insp Goko said the suspects proceeded to Nice Time Lodges where they knocked at the door of one of the lodge’s clients, Edzai Matika.
He said when Matika who was booked at the lodge opened the door; the three produced a pistol and demanded cash.

“They took away $300 cash, a 2650 HP laptop two cellphones a Nokia E70 and a Samsung Galaxy before they disappeared into the dark,” said Insp Goko.

He said the police were hunting for the three suspects who were still at large.
“Members of the public with information that can help us track the suspects can approach any nearest police station,” said the Midlands police spokesperson.