Police Suspect Inside Job in US$70,000 Mukuru Robbery in Bulawayo

Mukuru Financial Services branch targeted in Bulawayo armed robbery

BULAWAYO – The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has launched an intensive investigation into a daring armed robbery at a Mukuru money transfer outlet in Bulawayo, with preliminary findings suggesting the operation may have involved insider assistance.

Robbers reportedly made off with more than US$70,000 and R500,000 in a carefully coordinated attack carried out on Wednesday. The suspects, who are still at large, are believed to have disabled the outlet’s alarm system and removed CCTV footage before fleeing the scene.

Police say these actions have complicated efforts to immediately identify the perpetrators.

ZRP national spokesperson Paul Nyathi said early investigations strongly indicate the criminals had access to sensitive internal information about the outlet’s security systems and cash handling procedures.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is conducting investigations into the disturbing armed robbery which took place yesterday in Bulawayo. It is clear that the suspects had inside information; these criminals had received information from someone possibly within the sector,” Nyathi said.

He added that the robbers appeared to have targeted a specific employee who had access to the safe, suggesting the operation was meticulously planned.

“The manner in which this robbery was executed shows that they had all the inside information. They targeted an employee who has access to the safe, meaning that everything had been pre-planned,” Nyathi said.

Residents Left Stranded

The robbery has triggered anxiety among residents who rely on the Mukuru outlet for remittances and financial services, particularly those travelling from surrounding rural areas to collect funds. Some customers who had travelled long distances arrived to find the facility closed following the robbery.

One resident said the incident had left many people stranded after travelling from neighbouring districts to access their money.

“This is painful because we are now stranded where we usually collect our money. I came all the way from Filabusi to collect my money, only to hear that the place is not operational because armed robbers raided it,” the resident said.

Other residents warned that such incidents risk undermining confidence in financial institutions and could send troubling signals to young people.

“It is really bad what is happening in Bulawayo. It is sending the wrong message to the younger generation—that you can raid a bank and get away with it,” another resident said.

A third resident urged authorities to increase security in the city following the robbery.

“We are shocked and scared. It shows that we are no longer safe. The police should intensify patrols in the city and around banks so that we protect residents.”

Echoes of Past Robberies

The incident has revived memories of the high-profile US$4 million robbery at Ecobank Zimbabwe in 2024, one of the largest bank heists recorded in the country in recent years.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing as police work to identify and apprehend the suspects, while also examining whether individuals within the financial services sector may have assisted in facilitating the robbery.

The ZRP has urged members of the public with information that could assist investigations to come forward as efforts intensify to track down those responsible.

Bulawayo Mukuru robbery