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Melody Dube, Features Reporter
RISING armed robbery cases are threatening to take away the peace and stability that Zimbabwe has over the years been known for.
Since the beginning of this year, cases of armed robberies and vandalism of property have been rapidly rising around the country. Individuals, companies and businesses have lost valuable possessions to criminals. Some people have been injured and killed in the process.

What is more troubling is that the robbers are now more daring and using dangerous weapons in the commission of the crimes. Guns, axes, knives and machetes have harmed many victims in just this year alone.

The happening robberies need to be totally contained before communities experience more damage and losses. This was quite unfathomable to the land of Zimbabwe which has always been known for peace. Dating back to many years, every community used to be a place of safety for all its inhabitants. Communities were made up of people with one mind of protecting and safe guarding everyone. Communities used to carry the dignity of humanity among its peoples.

However, the situation is totally changed today. Some people have been turned into victims on a daily basis in their own communities. Gangs of criminals have lately taken to harassing vulnerable citizens. Matabeleland region alone has recorded many robbery cases that we have reported on. Companies and individuals have had to part with valuable properties and large amounts of money in unexpected ways.

For instance, a few weeks ago a fuel attendant was shot during a cash robbery at Flo Service Station in Tshabalala suburb. In another hit, Choppies Supermarket shops lost seven trunks of money to armed robbers who outsmarted a cash-in-transit crew which was collecting money from the outlets in Bulawayo for banking. Again, a gang of robbers shot dead a female employee at a Liquor Supplies outlet at Ascot Shopping Centre before disappearing with a large sum of cash.

In April, four armed robbers raided a shop belonging to a gold dealer in Gwanda. It was reported that the robbers brutally attacked a female employee before getting away with R500 000 and US$6 000.

Several people were hospitalised at Masvingo General Hospital on Monday after they were stabbed by armed robbers who commandeered a Beitbridge-bound bus and robbed passengers between Mvuma and Mushagashe tollgate earlier that today.

The Bounday Express coach reportedly left Mbudzi roundabout in Harare around 8pm and the unidentified armed robbers carrying knives, pistols and machetes were also on the bus when it set out for Beitbridge.

The robberies do not seem to be ceasing despite the efforts put in by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to stop them but Commissioner General, Godwin Matanga recently ordered his charges to be tougher in preventing the violent crimes and in tracking down criminals responsible for the robberies.

MPs have taken interest in the rising number of armed robberies. Last week they asked Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe what measures police were putting in place in response to the hard crimes. He said Comm-Gen Matanga was seized with the matter and has instructed provincial commanders to deploy tactical teams to deal with criminals in hotspots.

“There are numerous on-going measures aimed at curbing armed robberies, burglaries and muggings which include the following: intensifying foot, cycle and motorised patrols in crime-prone areas. In addition, the Commissioner-General has directed all officers commanding provinces to deploy Support Unit, Criminal Investigations Department, Duty Uniform Branch and Police Intelligence in hot spots to curtail the robbery cases,” said Minister Kazembe.

“The police command is engaging the Judiciary as well as another measure, urging them to impose stiffer penalties on perpetrators of violent crimes such as armed robberies, muggings and murder as a deterrent measure.”

It was reported during a recent meeting between Bulawayo police, security companies and the business sector that in one incident a security company equipped its workers with a toy-gun whilst transporting clients’ cash. This points to negligence on the part of the security companies.

The issue of guns which are becoming popular with armed robbers needs to be looked into very seriously. It is said that this is happening due to some negligence at the border posts where returnees always find a way to smuggle weapons into the country.

Another issue to be tackled would be for citizens to report known robbers rather than protecting them. Criminals have had unlimited freedom to carry out their heinous acts, partly because citizens are not taking action to expose them. New technologies in security such as planting surveillance cameras all around the country to observe everyday activities would also make a great difference in safeguarding citizens.

Thus, to counterattack on the armed robberies that are taking place across the nation all these factors must be looked into.