Police issue alert after robberies

Chakalisa Dube | Wednesday January 22, 2014 17:26

 “They should not keep large sums of money inside their premises. Workers should also not resist orders made by robbers to avoid injury or loss of life,” Assistant Superintendent Lawrence Moloi of Kutlwano Police Station has said. He was speaking after the latest robbery in which armed thugs grabbed money from Precious Filling Station between Tati Siding and Francistown. The thugs are said to have been on foot and even hitched a ride from a customer at the station.

Moloi said five robbers entered the filling station around 5pm last Thursday and demanded money from the workers. After the workers had complied, the robbers, now flush with cash, approached a customer who was filling up his car for a ride. The motorist allegedly dropped them off in Gerald Estates where they disappeared on foot. This was the second robbery in a space of two weeks.

Last week but one, two armed men entered City Way Filling Station near the BMC circle and made away with cash. They too did not have a get away car, hence they highjacked a Combi driver who transports mine workers to drive them to Matsiloje.

The incident happened at around 10pm.

No injuries were recorded in both cases.

 “We do not have anything that can lead us to suspect or think that the same people committed the two offences, but I do not rule out the possibility because we are still investigating,” Moloi said yesterday. The northern part of the country has proved a lucrative hunting ground for armed robbers since December.

Days before Christmas, two armed robbers raided a bar in Matsiloje and killed a teacher who was a reveller. The robbers are said to have fled to Zimbabwe.

On Sunday, two armed men held up Hungry Lion in Palapye and killed a customers. They made away with P19,000 cash. No arrests have been made in the two incidents.