Huge 28.5 KG gold heist reported at police station in Plumtree
Sipho Mabuza | Gold worth $1 million has vanished at a police station in Plumtree – and police are now investigating themselves.
According to zim live, duplicate keys were used to break into the armoury, where the gold – which was due to be used as an exhibit in a court case – was being kept.
The theft of the gold, weighing 28.5kgs, was discovered at 11AM on Wednesday, August 15, according to an internal police memo.
The memo says a Chief Inspector Mangena first discovered that two FN Rifles booked on the Charge Office diary were not there physically, and enquired from Chief Inspector Munasireyi if he had knowledge of where the guns were being kept.
Munasireyi, the memo continues, told Mangena that he would check in the armoury using keys that had been left to him by Inspector Vhiyano during a change of shift.
But on arrival at the armoury, Munasireyi – in the company of Mangena and Sergeant Major Shumba, discovered a key on the door. The door was not locked.
“He then tried to remove the key which was left stuck in the key hole and he eventually removed it with difficulties,” the memo says.
“Sergeant Major Shumba who had knowledge about the gold kept in the armoury as an exhibit for the Minerals and Border Control Unit Plumtree proceeded to the bucket where the gold weighing 28.53kg was kept wrapped in a khaki paper. He discovered that the khaki paper was torn the gold was missing.”
The total value of the gold stolen is $970,009.80, police say.
The CID division has taken over the investigation.
Under “outstanding”, the police memo says officers were trying to locate Inspector Vhiyano who was last seen with the armoury keys. zim live
