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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
TWO suspected armed robbers, one of them a teenager, were arrested by police yesterday along the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road, leading to the recovery of a gun and a taser.

The two Munyaradzi Zvandaziva Gande (21) of Marondera and Tawana Nyasha Ndlovu (18) of Gutu were arrested on Wednesday at the 16km peg along Bulawayo-Nkayi Road.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube said police stopped a Toyota Vitz which was carrying three suspected armed robbers who had allegedly robbed people in Inyathi.

“The Bulawayo Metropolitan Central Traffic had a roadblock at the 16km peg along the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road from 1PM to 5PM. On the same day, police stopped a Toyota Vitz which was coming from Inyathi towards Bulawayo. The vehicle was driven by the informant who upon stopping at the roadblock advised the police that he had received a call from police in Inyathi that some of his passengers had committed  a robbery in Inyathi area,” said Insp Ncube.

He said as the driver was still talking to the police, the suspected armed robbers got out of the car and ran into a nearby bush with police in hot pursuit.

Police managed to track and arrest two suspects but the third vanished.

Insp Ncube said a gun, cellphones and a taser were recovered during a search.

“They searched the suspects’ two bags where a pistol, with an empty magazine was recovered from one of the bags. An electric shocker and two Samsung cellphones without sim cards were also recovered from the other bag,” said Insp Ncube.

He said police would like to thank members of the public for assisting with information that led to the arrest of the suspects.

“This arrest prevented possible cases of armed robberies as the suspects were heading into the central business district. Members of the public are hereby warned that Zimbabwe Republic Police is equal to the task and the best option is to desist from going against the law,” said Insp Ncube.

Last  month police shot and killed three armed robbers trying to rob a mining equipment dealer in Bulawayo’s Fourwinds suburb. Three others were taken into custody and have appeared in court. The six armed robbers are part of a gang that  raided Choppies Supermarket in Parklands and Access Finance in the city, getting away with nearly US$300 000 and R1 million.

Police said the six are linked to other armed robberies in the city, and had also just come from South Africa with the intention of committing robberies.

A few days later another armed robber was shot dead during a shoot out with the police in the city centre.

Between March and June this year, Bulawayo police reported 32 armed robberies in the city, including the fatal shooting of a till operator at a liquor store in Ascot.— Follow on Twitter @bonganinkunzi