Zim heist: Armed robbers vanish with US$2.5 million, BIG cash-in-transit Italian job on Harare-Chinhoyi rd

Heavily armed robbers vanished into thin air with US$2.5 million and ZWL$40 000 after hijacking a Toyota Hilux single Cab vehicle and occupants on their way to Chinhoyi to conduct a cash-in-transit task on Wednesday.

According to a police report(full statement attached below), the highway bandits hit an instant jackpot and got away with seven (7) cash boxes containing approximately two million five hundred thousand United States dollars (USD2 500 000) and forty thousand Zimbabwe dollars (ZWL$40 000).

Full details below:

ARMED ROBBERY- NYABIRA

The Zimbabwe Republic Police is investigating the circumstances leading to an armed robbery case which occurred on 6th January 2021 around 1400 hours, along Harare-Chinhoyi Road near Gwebi Bridge. Three complainants were travelling in a Toyota Hilux single Cab vehicle on their way to Chinhoyi to conduct a cash-in-transit task. Onboard, they had seven (7) cash boxes containing approximately two million five hundred thousand United States dollars (USD2 500 000) and forty thousand Zimbabwe dollars (ZWL$40 000).

Along the way, they picked up six (6) male passengers at Westgate and Inkomo Turn-off. On approaching the Gwebi Bridge lay-bye, the driver stopped the vehicle as one of the complainants wanted to relieve himself. One of the passengers produced an unidentified pistol and fired one shot in the air whilst his accomplices disarmed one of the complainants of his 303 rifle. The suspects then tied the three complainants and drove into the bush where they loaded the cash boxes into a red Toyota vehicle (make and registration numbers unknown) and drove off.

The complainants later made a report to the police. Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact any nearest police station or National Complaints Desk on 0242 (703631) or WhatsApp 0712800197.

(NYATHI . P) Assistant Commissioner
Senior Staff Officer [Press. Public and Int. Relations]
to the Commissioner-General of Police
Police General Headquarters