POLICE in Gweru have arrested three notorious armed robbers who have been terrorising miners and business people in Gweru and Shurugwi getting away with more than $20 000 in four weeks.

Following the arrest, police recovered five rifles and a pistol, $6 000 cash and a VW Golf vehicle. The property was recovered at lodgings belonging to two of the armed robbers’ girlfriends in Ascot Infill suburb in Gweru.

Tapiwa Chimuti (25) Anyway Madala (27) and Simbarashe Machiritsa (40) were arrested on Thursday following a tip off from members of the public.

In one of the counts and on April 7 at around 7:30PM, Chimuti, Madala and Machiritsa broke down a kitchen door and entered a house in Athlone suburb where they stole electrical gadgets and cash. Using the same modus operandi the gang broke into three other houses in Gweru and a mine in Shurugwi and got away with a VW Golf vehicle and more than $20 000 cash.

There was drama at Ascot infill suburb yesterday as police detectives raided two lodgings where Chimuti and Madala were staying.

The detectives recovered household property which includes beds, television sets, electrical gadgets and blankets which are suspected to be proceeds from robbery money. At one house belonging to Ms Inet Kaisa (24) police are said to have also recovered a pistol. Ms Kaisa said she has been staying with Chimuti for the past seven days as husband and wife.

At the other house, Ms Jenita Mahachi (25) said she has been staying with Madala for the past month. They both told the Chronicle that they were not aware that their husbands were criminals. “Chimuti said he was a gold panner. I moved here last week and we had a party. He bought all this property for me as his new wife. I didn’t suspect that he was a criminal,” she said.