The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
Tobacco farmers should reconsider transporting their produce to auction floors at night as they can easily become targets of armed robbers, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has said.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said in a statement on Wednesday some of the criminals are purporting to be security forces manning roadblocks by putting on police uniform.
Vehicles without registration plates, he added, are also being used to commit crime.
“The suspects are mostly a syndicate, with some wearing security forces uniforms from police, army while others are in civilian clothes,” reads part of the statement.
Recently some farmers travelling in a Nissan Atlas Truck were intercepted along Gleneagles Road and robbed of 25 bales.
The truck was then used to commit a series of other crimes before being dumped in Norton.
“The group is using a Honda Fit and Toyota Wish without number plates to waylay farmers and rob them,” further reads the statement.
The police encouraged farmers to work closely with action floors on safe delivery methods.
Most tobacco farmers are no longer making long trips to Harare to deliver their golden leaf, as the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has pushed for the decentralisation of tobacco auction floors.
