Five armed robbers who stole US$111,000 and R1,281,320 from Fawcett Security Company in Chipinge have been arrested just two days after the heist. The robbers had received inside information from an employee of the security company.
Though police have not officially confirmed the arrests, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka referred inquiries to Commissioner Paul Nyathi, who was unavailable for comment. However, sources indicate that arrests followed a tip-off involving Norest Masikira (43), a Fawcett Security employee from Gaza A in Chipinge.
Detectives from the CID Homicide Department in Harare, acting on the tip-off, collaborated with local officers in Chipinge. They apprehended Masikira, who then implicated Takesure Simango (40) from Usanga and Givemore Makoto (40) from Medium Density, both of whom are unemployed.
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Simango and Makoto also named Tendai Mupatsi (25) and his brother, Lovejoy Mupatsi (38), both from Medium Density, in the scheme. Following their arrests, R98,000 and US$850 were recovered from Lovejoy Mupatsi’s car, which he claimed as his share of the loot.
Masikira, Simango, and Makoto were searched, but no additional money was found on them. Masikira admitted to providing confidential information about Fawcett Security’s Chipinge vault to Simango and Makoto. The two then shared this information with the Mupatsi brothers. Tendai Mupatsi admitted participating in the robbery but did not provide the names of his accomplices, stating he only met them recently after they returned from South Africa.
The victims of the robbery include Fawcett Security employees Mr. Dzime Sithole, Mr. George Nhamo Simango, Mr. Mauka Chigonese, Mr. Taurai Tarangwa, and Mr. Gideon Gurudza (49).
The incident occurred last Wednesday when robbers, masked and armed with pistols, ambushed two Fawcett personnel, Mr. George Nhamo Sithole and the driver, Mr. Dzime Sithole. The robbers forced them out of their vehicle, stole their uniforms, and restrained them before taking over the vehicle.
They then proceeded to Fawcett Security’s Gaza Township premises, where they assaulted and restrained the security guards, Mr. Mauka Chigonese and Mr. Taurai Tarangwa, and forced Mr. Gordon Gurudza to disable the alarm system and open the office door.
The robbers damaged several security devices, used a grinder to break into the vault, and stole cash from multiple boxes. They then transported the stolen money in a sack disguised as cow feed and abandoned the security personnel at Moiplass Estate.
The robbery was reported to Fawcett’s Chipinge branch manager, Mr. Peter Kabaira, who notified the police. The Chipinge police responded to the scene with urgency.
