Armed robbers storm Bulawayo school

In a brazen incident of armed robbery, a gang of four assailants ambushed two Greengables High School security guards on Thursday, October 31, 2024, stealing over $2,000 in cash and various electronic gadgets. The school is located approximately 22 kilometers outside Bulawayo’s Central Business District.

Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, Bulawayo Provincial Police spokesperson, confirmed the alarming details of the robbery, revealing that the suspects were armed with a gun when they invaded the boarding school at around 2am.

“There were two security guards present during the incident. One was in the lower six classrooms while the other was filling water tanks in the school yard when the attackers struck,” Assistant Inspector Msebele said. “The robbers entered the classrooms, pointed a gun at the seated guard and ordered him to lie on the floor before tying his hands with a cable tie.”

The attackers then went to the water tanks, where they tied up the second guard with a mobile phone charger and shoelaces before taking him back to the classroom. One of the robbers remained at gunpoint with the guards while the others went to the administration building to carry out their theft.

To gain access to the offices, the thieves destroyed a window in the boardroom, which had no burglar bars. They looted several offices, including the reception desk, the principal’s office, the office of the director of finance and administration, the stock exchange office and the deputy principal’s office. Among the items stolen were cellphones from an unlocked drawer, three laptops, $2,250 cash, three Wi-Fi routers and a laptop bag containing the principal’s wallet and exam schedule.

Assistant Inspector Msebele urged the community, especially educational institutions, to strengthen security measures. “We encourage schools to improve the security of their administrative blocks by installing strong burglar bars on windows and security screen doors,” she said.

This incident follows a worrying trend: earlier this year, at least seven schools reported armed robberies within a two-week period. Authorities have raised alarm about possible inside jobs and the rising number of robberies, especially as schools increasingly accept cash payments instead of wire transfers or bank deposits.

Police are currently investigating the incident and are calling on anyone with information to come forward to help bring the perpetrators to justice.