Beitbridge Woman Robbed at Gunpoint in Movie-Style Heist

By Knowledge Muneri 

A Beitbridge woman suffered a harrowing ordeal on Tuesday evening when she was robbed at gunpoint of her Toyota GD6 Twin Cab, along with a cellphone and cash. The incident occurred while she was attending to the solemn task of processing burial documents for a deceased relative.

According to Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Chiratidzo Dube, the robbery took place at approximately 20:30 hours outside Doves Funeral Parlour in Beitbridge. The woman, accompanied by her two sisters, had gone to the parlour to make arrangements following the death of a relative.

The police spokesperson provided a detailed account of the incident. "The complainant parked her vehicle, a white Toyota GD6 Twin Cab with registration number HKY 460 L, outside Doves Funeral Parlour and entered the offices, leaving her two sisters seated in the motor vehicle," Insp Dube explained.

After spending about 20 minutes inside the funeral parlour, the woman returned to her vehicle, where three unknown male suspects approached her. "One of the accused persons was wearing a purple shirt and a pair of black trousers. The other two accused persons were wearing dark clothes, and they were not covering their faces," Insp Dube said.

The situation quickly turned menacing when one of the men brandished a firearm. "One of the accused persons, who was holding a black pistol, speaking in Sotho language, pointed the firearm at the complainant who was already seated at the driver's seat whilst demanding car keys," Insp Dube recounted.

Fearing for their lives, the woman and her sisters complied with the robbers' demands. The suspects drove off in the stolen vehicle, which contained a number of valuable items, including a black handbag with the victim's driver’s licence, valid Temporary Import Permit, motor vehicle registration book, Samsung S24 Ultra cell phone, and ZAR 3000 in cash.

The incident was reported to the police later that same evening. Authorities are appealing to anyone with information that could assist in the investigation to come forward and help bring the perpetrators to justice.

The brazen nature of the robbery has left many in Beitbridge deeply concerned. The police have assured the public that they are doing everything possible to track down the criminals and recover the stolen vehicle and property