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Peter Matika, [email protected] 

A hitch-hiker was robbed of US$17  000 by touts on the Bulawayo-Harare road on Saturday evening. 

Mr Christopher Kunyaki (49), a cosmetics agent for a Harare-based company, was making payments and deliveries in Bulawayo when he was accosted by three men who took his pink satchel containing the cash and fled. 

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said Mr Kunyaki arrived in Bulawayo with the company driver, who dropped    him in the central business district and went to Zvishavane to make some deliveries.

He said Mr Kunyaki and the driver were scheduled to meet in Gweru.

“Three unidentified male suspects who were touting confronted the complainant at a hiking spot and snatched a pink satchel containing US$17 775 from daily sales and fled,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He urged individuals to avoid      carrying large amounts of cash in public, instead suggesting that they use trusted security transport companies or banks to handle the transportation of money. 

“As police, we urge members of the public to desist from this culture of carrying such large amounts of money in public as they risk attracting criminals. There are ways in which people can discreetly transport their money without encountering any problems,” he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi also encouraged companies to train workers in cash handling and ensure that transportation routes and times are planned and kept confidential.

“Plan transportation routes and times, establish confidentiality and seek support after an incident. Depending on the amount of cash you need to transport regularly, you may want to use a trusted security transport company to handle the task,” he said

“If this is not practical or feasible for your business, choose a bank in your locality and change the routes and times that bank trips are made to reduce predictability.

“People should deposit money in banks to avoid break-ins and armed robberies. There are several cases and instances of armed robberies occurring in                                                                                           homes as robbers target those that keep large amounts of money on them,” he said.