CONCERNED Bulawayo residents are demanding law enforcement agencies to boost security measures in the city following last week’s daring Ecobank robbery in which the suspects reportedly snatched approximately US$4 million.
The brazen daylight robbery witnessed by the public, occurring a few kilometres from the Bulawayo Central Police Station and the slow reaction to the heist by the police has sparked fears by residents over their safety in the city.
Bulawayo acting provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele yesterday told Southern Eye that the suspects were still on the run.
“The incident occurred where the cameras were not yet installed by the police. We urge the business community to install cameras and link them with the police for monitoring so that such incidents won't occur,” she said.
“We also have emergency numbers as police so that the public should be aware and call in occurrence of such incidents.”
However, Bulawayo residents are not amused by the casual manner in which the robbery unfolded.
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Bulawayo United Residents Association chairperson Winos Dube called on the police to tighten the security in the city.
“The law enforcers must tighten the security and be more alert so that such incidents do not occur again. As residents, we have been shaken by the incident. The armed robbers are still on the run and this makes us live in fear,” he said.
Dube said the residents were not used to such heists, saying they are hoping that the police continue with their initiative to install cameras in the entire city so that it can help in such incidents.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity demanded an increase in police patrols, improved surveillance and enhanced community engagement to prevent future crimes and ensure public safety in the city.
“We need to have emergency call centres for the police. In other countries, they have emergency lines like 911 in America. Why are there no such emergency lines in Zimbabwe,” the resident said.
“The Central Police station is just two minutes away from the crime scene, if there was an emergency number; it was going to enable police to arrive on time.”