By Nigel Pfunde
Harare- ARMED robberies across the country show no sign of slowing down. The latest incident targeted a Mukuru.com agent at Glen Norah B shops in Harare on Wednesday night.
The robbers reportedly escaped with over US$20 000 in cash and an undisclosed amount in rand.
According to early reports from citizens, the attack was carried out with precision, suggesting the suspects had detailed information about the agent’s operations.
The timing and execution of the heist have sparked concern among residents and business owners, who now fear that no business is safe from the rise in violent crime.
“The robbers gained access through a backyard alley within the Rufaro Marketing bar and it leads to an unoccupied shop next to the agent. They cut the burglar bars and destroyed the demarcation dividing the unoccupied shop and the agent,” said a resident who preferred anonymity.
“I also think the odd hours of the Soccer World Cup games beaming are also to blame. There will be noise and excitement distracting security.
“Remember there are more than 40 something bars and nightclubs in the proximity of the agent,one of the bars is called KwaSatani,munofunga mhepo hadzifambe pakadaro (imagine there is a bar called Satan,don’t you think a bad omen wont follow).We need more night patrols,”said another resident.
The security personnel was reportedly tied with a rope and had his mouth covered with a cloth.
Zimbabwe Republic Police statics show that robberies are rising, with many linked to inside jobs.
The ZRP said armed robbery cases rose 4% between January and August 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Deputy Commissioner Leny Ncube told Parliament that while total robbery cases fell 8%, “there is a concerning 4% increase in the most violent category, robberies committed using firearms”.
Police data released in August 2025 shows that between 3 January and 21 August 2025, 531 suspects were arrested for robbery, with 206 already convicted.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi has repeatedly attributed the precision of many heists to insider involvement. He said the ZRP continues to encounter cases “where criminals appear to have had prior knowledge of the exact amount of money being transported, where it was being taken and the route being used”.
Nyathi warned businesses to tighten internal controls, stating:
“Details concerning cash holdings, payroll schedules, banking arrangements and cash movements should never be disclosed to unauthorised persons.”
He urged firms to bank cash promptly and use professional Cash-In-Transit services, and called on employers to review “recruitment and vetting procedures” to curb collusion.
The ZRP has been cracking down on syndicates, citing recent arrests in Beitbridge and Harare, including suspects linked to multiple armed robberies. Police say resource shortages, with only 1,823 of 9,320 required vehicles operational, are hampering rapid response.
Commissioner Paul Nyathi could not be reached for comment at the time of writing on Thursday night.
