Four armed robbers, escaped with $20 000 from Savanna Tobacco offices in Bulawayo, after tying up cashier with industrial tape

FOUR gun-totting robbers allegedly gagged a cashier, tied up her hands and legs with industrial tape at the Savanna Tobacco offices in Bulawayo on Monday afternoon and got away with over $20 000.

The quartet forced a cashier identified as Miss Azellia Madzorera, to open a safe that contained the cash in her office at Windsor Park at around 1PM.

Sources close to investigations yesterday told The Chronicle the robbers “forgot” their gun after grabbing the money.

The loaded pistol, said a source, contained four bullets.

The robbers allegedly fled in a Honda Fit.

“They waved the gun in her face. She almost collapsed with fear. One of them grabbed her, tearing her pink dress,” said a source who declined to be named.

“They tied a piece of cloth around her mouth to stop her from screaming. They force marched her to the safe and took the money.”

Workers at other offices in the compound said it was strange that the robbers were able to easily enter the premises which house a number of offices.

“We don’t know how they identified themselves at the gate which is manned by security guards but they got access,” said a worker.

The worker said no shots were fired during the robbery.

When a Chronicle news crew arrived at the scene, minutes after the robbery, a trembling Miss Madzorera was sobbing hysterically.  Her dress torn above her breasts, she was sweating profusely and could hardly stand on her feet.

She gasped out that “something terrible had happened.”

Before she could describe her ordeal, a man entered the room and stopped her from talking.

The unidentified man, who seemed to be in charge of the shop even barred her from talking to investigators.

He told The Chronicle that workers at the company had been instructed not to speak about the incident to anyone.

“Sorry you can’t come in as we’ve been instructed not to go public about the incident, sorry,” he said.

At that time, a group of heavily armed police officers arrived and fanned out across the compound.

Chief police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the robbery occurred at 13.50hours.

“The complainant was at her workplace when two accused persons approached her asking if they could buy two bricks of Pacific cigarettes,” she said. “The unsuspecting complainant allowed them inside as she proceeded to collect the cigarettes. While on her way she was grabbed from behind. One of the accused persons produced a gun while the other one wielded a knife. They then demanded keys to the safe which they used to open the safe and accessed cash amounting to $20 675 and fled, leaving the complainant tied up on the hands and legs with an industrial tape.

They also gagged her mouth.”

Snr Ass Com Charamba urged the business community to bank their money saying keeping it in their offices exposed them to robberries.

Businesses, she added, should also employ reputable security guards. By Whinsley Masara, source-Chronicle