Zimbabwean police at Beit Bridge have intensified patrols in the border town, following reports that some of the six Zimbabwean hardcore criminals are local residents. The criminals are linked to a well-organized syndicate operating in Musina and Beit Bridge.

The officer commanding police in Beit Bridge District, Supt Mzamo Bhebhe, said they had since deployed officers in the known criminal hot spot. “We are carrying out intensified night patrols after we had received information that some of the criminals who escaped from Musina police cells are locals involved in a notorious cross-border crime syndicate. In fact, you will note that the exercise is also in line with the ongoing national blitz, following an upsurge in armed robberies,” he said.

Six hardcore Zimbabwean criminals linked to murder, armed robbery and housebreaking cases escaped from Musina police cells on Monday last week. The two convicted prisoners are Knowledge Muleya (28), who was given five years´ imprisonment for possession of an unlicensed firearm, and Chiwari Matimore (23), who was given three years for housebreaking and theft. The other four were accused of crimes ranging from murder to robbery.

They are now believed to have crossed back into Zimbabwe through illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River.

Bhebhe said the escapees were mostly involved in organized cross-border crimes targeting smugglers and border jumpers in using illegal crossing points in bushy areas. “You will realise that each time these criminals strike on the Zimbabwe side, they then cross over into South African side where they again commit similar offences such as housebreaking and armed robberies. We are working with our South African counterparts in the manhunt for the criminals,” he said.

Bhebhe said they were also targeting brothels, which are said to havens for criminals.

Of late there has been an increase in the number of armed robberies in Beit Bridge. Last month, a shop at Mashakada Shopping area in Dulibadzimu suburb was raided by suspects who were armed with a pistol. A similar incident also occurred at Lutumba Business Centre, outside Beit Bridge, where a shopkeeper was robbed of money at gunpoint. The firearms are reportedly smuggled into the country from South Africa.

Bhebhe said the suspects in both cases were still at large.