Robbers storm service station, get way with $5 000, fuel

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A SIX-MEMBER gang allegedly stormed Flo Service Station in Glengary, Bulawayo, on Tuesday night and got away with $5 000, 25 litres of petrol and 43 litres of diesel.

A SIX-MEMBER gang allegedly stormed Flo Service Station in Glengary, Bulawayo, on Tuesday night and got away with $5 000, 25 litres of petrol and 43 litres of diesel.

BY SILAS NKALA

Sources said the robbery occurred at around 12:30am, when two attendants, Justice Jali (24) of Tshabalala and Abel Mkandla (57) of Glengary, were on duty. The sources said the culprits have not yet been identified.

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According to police, the two garage attendants were ambushed and ordered to lie down, before their hands were tied together with electrical cables and had their heads covered with jackets.

“One of the accused was carrying an iron bar. Mkandla was hit with the bar on his right hand” a source said. “The suspects searched the two and took $773 from Jali, which was for diesel sales, his personal cash amounting to $80, a tablet and Sumsang cellphone.

“They also took $581 from Mkandla for petrol sales, $70 personal cash and two Nokia cellphones.”

Five suspects left the attendants guarded by one of them, as they proceeded to the main office, where they broke in and forcefully opened the safe, taking $5 000.

“The suspects later went to the fuel pumps where they drained 25,5 litres of petrol into containers and 43,1 litres of diesel. The two attendants managed to untie themselves and phoned the police at Queens Park to report the robbery,” the source said. Police officers discovered that the suspects had cut off the CCTV cables to prevent their identification.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Precious Simango could not be reached for comment, while national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said he was not aware of the incident.