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Bulawayo police have issued a safety alert to taxi drivers following a brazen armed robbery targeting an InDrive driver on Thursday afternoon, amid a surge in criminal attacks using ride-hailing “skimming tactics.”
The incident occurred around 4pm when a 30-year-old Morningside-based driver, employed by the InDrive platform, was lured to Palace Hotel to pick up a female passenger requesting a ride to Suburbs.
According to Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, the driver was ambushed upon reaching Park Road.
“Three male suspects emerged, opened the vehicle doors, brandished okapi knives, and threatened to kill him if he resisted,” she said.
The assailants stole a Huawei P40 cellphone, US$90 in cash, a modulator, five liters of engine oil, and a small bag before fleeing. The total stolen goods were valued at US$220.
Inspector Msebele confirmed a police report was filed, but no recoveries have been made.
“Taxi drivers are increasingly targeted through such schemes. We strongly advise installing vehicle trackers and exercising extreme caution with clients,” she urged, appealing to the public to share information that could lead to arrests.
Separate Arrest Highlights Weapon Concerns
In an unrelated case, 54-year-old Paul Makomva of Mbundane was arrested early Tuesday (May 16, 2025) after police found him in possession of prohibited weapons.
The arrest followed a 2am tip-off from a Cowdray Park resident who alerted authorities to suspicious activity near her home.
“Police and a neighborhood watch team responded swiftly and located Makomva parked in a Toyota Spacio,” Inspector Msebele stated.
Makomva claimed he had been hired by two unidentified men from Renkini Bus Terminus to transport bags from Cowdray Park. However, a search of his vehicle uncovered an okapi knife and catapults, leading to his immediate arrest.
Authorities continue to investigate both incidents, reiterating calls for vigilance and community cooperation to curb rising criminal activity in the city.
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