Maravi

(HERALD) US$270 000 bank heist

US$270 000 bank heist
Herald Reporters

Six armed robbers yesterday morning hit Stanbic Bank’s Chegutu branch, shot and injured an assistant branch manager before fleeing with hundreds of thousands of US dollars, rands and pulas. The gang made off with US$266 000, 150 000 rand and 34 690 pula in two getaway cars — an Isuzu KB twin-cab truck and a Peugeot 406 — both metallic silver in colour.

The robbers also reportedly looted cash, cellphones and other valuables from clients who were in the banking hall.

Police Officer Commanding Kadoma-Chegutu District Chief Superintendent Kubvoruno Machina confirmed the robbery yesterday, adding that investigations were in progress.

"An assistant branch manager has been shot. He has been taken to hospital and police are on the ground in Chegutu investigating the matter.

"No arrests have been made so far. There were six members of the gang and four of them went into the banking hall while the other two remained in the getaway cars," said Chief Supt Machina.

He, however, could not disclose the name of the injured assistant manager or the hospital he was taken to for security reasons although some bank officials said he had been taken to a Harare hospital, where his condition could not be ascertained.

According to witnesses, the six men parked their cars near the bank at around 9:15 am when clients were queueing to deposit and withdraw cash.

One of the robbers reportedly went straight to the front and caused commotion after some customers complained that he was jumping the queue.

In the ensuing commotion, three more gang members, who were armed, entered the banking hall and ordered everyone to lie down. Other customers who came in later were also ordered to lie down and relieved of their cash and valuables.

The robbers reportedly force-marched the assistant branch manager to the back office before ordering him to open the safe.

The assistant manager allegedly took his time to open the safe as he tried to switch on a key code, prompting one of the robbers to fire two shots at his legs, seriously injuring him.

The manager later opened the safe and the gang looted US$266 000, 150 000 rand and 36 000 pula. When The Herald visited the bank yesterday afternoon, officials from Harare had been called in to assist police with the investigations.

Some of the workers could be seen cleaning the blood of their injured boss, but declined to comment on the heist.

Vendors who sell their wares outside the bank said the robbery happened so quickly that people around barely saw what happened.

A mobile phone airtime vendor, Tichafadzwa Bvute, who was coming out of Food Chain Supermarket near the bank, said he was terrified when he heard screams from the bank and people bolting out of the banking hall in confusion.

He said the robbers, who were carrying cardboard boxes and bags of cash, jumped into their getaway cars that had their doors open and engines running.

"One of the robbers was covering his face with a woollen hat and they were speaking in a language which is neither Shona nor English," he said.

Another vendor, Mr Blessing Mazambara, said it was frightening to see men carrying boxes and bags of cash, rushing to their vehicles brandishing guns.

"These people had pistols and nobody could stop them. However, someone took pictures of the robbers getting away in their cars with a mobile phone camera and I am sure it has been handed over to the police," he said.

This is the first bank robbery in which shots have been fired since the introduction of the multiple-currency system earlier this year.

In February, four armed men hit the Kingdom Bank branch at Karigamombe and and got away with US$120 000, R48 930 , £155, 1800 pula and 10 Australian dollars, without firing a single shot.

The robbery was captured on closed circuit television, which helped in bringing the gang to book.

In July this year, a six-member gang raided a Barclays Bank branch in Bulawayo and got away with US$50 000, R126 000 and £500.

Earlier this month, three armed men stormed CBZ Chitungwiza branch and stole phones from bank staff, but failed to get cash.

Labels: ROBBERS, STANBIC

posted by MrK @ 8:46 AM