On Saturday night, chaos erupted at Choppies Supermarket in Bulawayo’s New Luveve suburb as armed robbers stormed the premises, causing tr@uma and t3rror among staff and nearby vendors.
The incident occurred just after 8 p.m., shortly after the supermarket closed for the evening, when security personnel were conducting their routine checks and staff were preparing to head home.
Initially, nearby vendors mistook the sound of gunfire for celebratory fireworks.
“It was just after 8 p.m. when we heard the shots, which we thought were firecrackers. We even chided the person, telling them not to do that near us. Moments later, we realized in horror that it was a gunshot, and we ran for our lives,” recounted a female vendor who wished to remain anonymous spoke to Herald.
Inside the supermarket, the situation escalated rapidly. The robbers, armed with guns, began their assault by firing at a security guard conducting checks behind the building. Miraculously, the guard was missed but quickly fled in panic.
The robbers then turned their brutality on the staff, stabbing one security guard four times and inflicting serious head injuries on the manager.
“They fired three shots. When the first shot was fired, one of the robbers manhandled the cashier and fired two shots in the air, demanding to know where the manager was. In shock, the cashier pointed them to the manager, who was swiftly confronted with a gun at his head and ordered to open the store,” a worker recalled.
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With the power outage plunging the area into darkness — eliminating the usual security lights that illuminated the supermarket — the robbers found the perfect cover to execute their plan. After overpowering the staff and forcing the manager to open the main entrance, they made off on foot with a haul of US$1,000 in cash and some cellphones belonging to employees.
As news of the robbery spread, National Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident, stating that investigations were underway. “The robbery occurred last night when the supermarket was closing. The suspects forced the manager to open the front entrance after the shots were fired,” he explained.
He urged supermarket owners and managers to improve security measures, especially during closing hours, noting that the robbers likely monitored the situation and were aware of the day’s takings. “It is important for supermarkets to step up security during closure time because it is clear that these robbers were monitoring the situation,” Nyathi said.
