Police have arrested eight suspected members of machete gangs in Bulawayo and recovered property worth US$100 000 including two vehicles and three firearms.
This follows a spate of robberies in the city allegedly committed by machete-wielding gangs.
Last week a Lobengula West resident was attacked and killed by one of the gangs.
Speaking during a press briefing, Monday, Bulawayo Police Spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said the suspects were armed with firearms, machetes, knives and axes.
“Following robbery cases in Bulawayo extending from April to date, police in Bulawayo upped their gear and last week we carried out vigorous campaigns calling on members of the public to provide information.
Our members of the CID homicide received information which was meticulously followed leading to the arrest of eight out of thirteen suspects recovering two motor vehicles, three firearms, one of which was stolen by means of robbery,” said Inspector Ncube.
Inspector Ncube said one of the arrested suspects is a ringleader of the two machete gangs.
“We are still recovering more property and we are arresting more suspects and we have discovered that the arrested gang is a two-group syndicate where one of the members is a common member in two groups so we have cleared two groups,” he said.
“We suspect there might be more groups that are still operating as syndicates which are hereby warned to desist from criminal activities as the community in Bulawayo together with the police are working together to ensure that Bulawayo is peaceful.”
He said the arrested suspects are all from Bulawayo and were apprehended with the assistance of the community.
Inspector Ncube said five suspects are still at large and will soon be picked up.
He added that some property was recovered from various members of the public who had already bought the stolen goods and warned residents against buying stolen property.
The suspects are expected to appear in court soon.
