Armed robbers attack a school in Bulawayo

On Thursday, October 31, 2024, in a brazen armed robbery, a gang of four assailants attacked two security guards at Greengables High School, stealing over $2,000 in cash and various electronic gadgets. The school is located approximately 22 km from the Bulawayo Central Business District.

Deputy 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 struck at the boarding school at around 2am

“There were two security guards on duty at the time of the incident. One was sitting in lower six classrooms and the other was filling water tanks in the school playground when the attackers struck,” said Deputy Inspector Msebele. “The attackers entered the classrooms, pointed a gun at the seated guard and ordered him to lie on the ground and then tied his hands with a zip tie.”

The attackers then moved to the water tanks, where they tied up the second security guard with a cell phone charger and shoelaces before taking him back to the classroom. One of the robbers stayed with the guards at gunpoint, the others went to the administration block to commit the theft.

To get into the office, the thieves broke the window in the conference room, which lacked anti-burglar bars. They ransacked several offices, including the reception desk, the principal’s office, the office of the director of finance and administration, the scholarship office and the deputy principal’s office. The stolen items included cell phones from an open drawer, three laptops, $2,250 in cash, three Wi-Fi routers and a laptop bag containing the principal’s wallet and exam schedule.

Deputy Inspector Msebele called on the community, especially educational institutions, to strengthen security measures. “We encourage schools to increase the security of their administration blocks by installing solid burglar bars on the windows and secure doors with mosquito nets,” she said.

This incident is part of a disturbing trend, as earlier this year at least seven schools reported armed robberies within a two-week period. Authorities have raised alarm about potential insider work and rising robberies, especially as schools increasingly accept cash payments instead of electronic transfers or bank deposits.

Police are currently investigating the incident and are appealing to anyone with information to help bring the perpetrators to justice.