RESIDENTS of Bulawayo are urging law enforcement to boost security measures following a daring robbery at Ecobank, where around $4 million was stolen. The robbery, which took place in broad daylight just a short distance from the Bulawayo Central Police Station, has heightened concerns over public safety and the effectiveness of police response.
Witnesses saw six armed men, masked and driving a white Ford Ranger, overpower security guards from Safeguard as they collected cash from Ecobank’s NRZ Building branch on Friday, October 4. Within two minutes, the robbers made off with the cash, as well as three firearms — two pistols and a shotgun — from the security team. The Ecobank branch did not have any security cameras installed at the time of the heist.
Winos Dube, chairperson of the Bulawayo United Residents Association, voiced the concerns of the community: ‘The law enforcers must tighten security and be more alert so that such incidents do not happen again. As residents, we are shaken, especially since the robbers are still at large. We live in fear.’
The brazen nature of the robbery and the slow police response have prompted calls for increased surveillance, more police personnel, and better community engagement to prevent future incidents.
With the armed robbers still on the run, residents continue to express fears over safety and urge authorities to act swiftly to restore security in the city.
