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POLICE have deployed special forces in response to an upsurge in armed robbery cases throughout the country. The robbers are targeting individuals and businesses keeping large amounts of cash at their business premises or homes as well as cash-in-transit vehicles, money transfer agents and banks.

The police have repeatedly warned individuals and businesses against keeping large amounts of cash at either business premises or homes as this exposes them to robbers.

The robbers in most cases have managed to get away with large amounts of cash, a confirmation that they only pounce when they are certain that their victims have the cash.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Deputy Minister Ruth Maboyi said on Wednesday that Government was very concerned about the increase in armed robbery cases hence the deployment of special forces.

Deputy Minister Maboyi said in most cases the robbers were using unlicensed firearms and urged people to report any illegal firearms in their respective areas.

She said members of the Support Unit, the Criminal Investigations Department and Police Intelligence have been deployed to robbery hotspots throughout the country.

Two weeks ago, six armed robbers raided Access Finance Bureau de Change in Bulawayo and got away with an undisclosed amount of money.

The daring robbers disarmed a Safeguard Security guard manning the bureau de change and even had the audacity to attack the security company’s reaction team that had responded to the distress call and got away with the reaction team’s vehicle which they later dumped in Malindela suburb.

Increased armed robbery cases have also been reported in Harare and other cities. We want at this juncture to urge members of the public and businesspeople to take heed of the police warning against keeping large amounts of money at their offices or at home.

Police have deployed special forces to robbery hotspots and these can only be effective if members of the public provide them with vital information because these robbers live among us.

We can only rid our communities of this menace by joining hands with the police.