ARMED ROBBERS STRIKE AGAIN

 MALIBENI – Is the north-eastern parts of the country quickly becoming a crime capital?

This is probably the question members of the public are asking themselves following yet another robbery in that part of the country.
The latest robbery took place in broad daylight on Friday, about a kilometre from Buhleni Police Post.

This happened while police have intensified patrols in the area, following two successive attacks by an armed gang, which has left one person killed and at least five others seriously injured.

Witnesses said robbers targeted a Mobile Money spaza operator, located by the roadside.
Sedan

The criminals were travelling in a VW Polo sedan, according to eyewitnesses, who asked not to be mentioned.
“Upon reaching the Mobile Money vendor, the robbers looked like normal customers. But while the operator was speaking to one of them, another jumped over the counter and grabbed several notes and coins,” said the witness.

There are suspicions that the robbers were armed.
After grabbing the money, which totalled E1 800, the robbers fled.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the matter.
She said police were still searching for the suspects.

When asked if the latest robbery was related to the previous string of robberies committed by an armed gang, Vilakati said police were still trying to figure out if there was any connection.
She said for now, investigators were treating the latest robbery as a separate matter.

She further assured residents in communities located in north-eastern parts of the country that police were committed to fighting crime in the area and ensuring the safety of citizens.
She stated that it was understandable for the targeted communities to be frustrated but she appealed to them to allow law enforcement agencies to deal with the seemingly escalating crime levels.

Strategies

“We have come up with strategies which we hope will be effective. All we are requesting from residents is for them to cooperate with us. One way in which they could cooperate with us is to quickly share with us any information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects,” Vilakati stated.

She further mentioned that police ‘would not sleep’ until the suspects were brought to book.
Last Tuesday, one person was shot, a woman was raped and at least three others were seriously injured when an armed gang targeted businesses and communities in the north-eastern parts of the country.

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