5 knife-wielding robbers, who were wearing balaclavas, last week pounced on a Nyanga house and escaped with $US81 000.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa confirmed the armed robbery in which the criminals vanished soon after the heist.

“We have since launched a manhunt to bring the culprits to book.

“The five are still at large and police are appealing to members of the public with information leading to their arrest to contact nearest police station,” he said.

Circumstances are that Raymond Chari (37), of 172 Ruwangwe Growth Point, Nyanga, went to bed with his wife Hazvinei Hapaori (30), at around 8pm.

The armed criminals are suspected to have arrived at the house around midnight. They allegedly jumped over a pre-cast wall to get into the yard and gained entrance into the house using duplicate keys.

They broke the door using iron bars and gained entry.

While inside, the two of the robbers rounded and tied Hazvinei and Raymond with a rope. They allegedly gagged their mouth.

They looted cash, seized car keys and vanished from the scene.

state media