Heist at Rusape Auction Floors: Guards Tied, Tobacco Stolen

In a brazen attack that has rattled Zimbabwe’s tobacco sector, eight armed robbers stormed Voedsel Tobacco International Auction Floors in Rusape last Sunday night, stealing numerous tobacco bales worth thousands of U.S. dollars.

The gang reportedly ambushed two on-duty security guards — Weston Jumbe (43) and Daniel Sadondo (19) — and subdued them before loading the stolen tobacco into an unidentified vehicle. The bales had been delivered by local farmers for auction.

Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, the acting spokesperson for Manicaland provincial police, confirmed the robbery and said the guards were overpowered during their patrol.

“On April 20, while patrolling the premises, the two security guards were attacked by a group of unknown individuals armed with machetes. Mr. Jumbe was restrained using shoelaces and had his cellphone taken, while Mr. Sadondo was struck with the flat side of a machete before being tied up and gagged,” said Chinyoka.

The suspects are reported to have taken the guards’ keys and forcibly led them into the warehouse, where they were forced to lie down and covered with a tent. The robbers then brought a vehicle onto the premises and proceeded to load an unspecified number of tobacco bales. One of the assailants remained behind to guard the subdued employees.

After the criminals fled, the guards managed to free themselves and reported the incident to Rusape Central Police. Mr. Sadondo sustained facial injuries during the ordeal.

No arrests have been made so far, and police are appealing to the public for any information that could lead to the identification and capture of the perpetrators.

The robbery is the latest in a string of incidents targeting tobacco-related operations in Rusape since the marketing season began in March. With nine contract auction floors in the area, criminals have been preying on farmers from major growing regions like Headlands, Nyazura, Nyamajura, Odzi, and nearby areas in Mashonaland East, such as Wedza and Macheke.

Law enforcement recently issued a public alert, warning residents and stakeholders in the sector to remain cautious as the frequency of robberies increases.

The Voedsel auction floor heist follows several recent attacks in the region, including night-time raids at the Rusape Town Council offices, a local fuel station, and a primary school.

In another incident earlier this month, five robbers intercepted a delivery truck transporting 41 tobacco bales along the Rusape-Ruura Road. The goods, valued at over US$17,000, were en route to Sub-Sahara Auction Floors.

The attackers had set up roadblocks using stones and logs, forcing the truck to stop. Armed with machetes and knobkerries, they ambushed the crew, shattering the windshield and violently assaulting the driver, 24-year-old Blessing Mutyakureva, and his three colleagues. Mutyakureva suffered severe injuries, including a facial wound and the loss of two front teeth, while the others sustained bruises and back injuries.

Victor Mariranyika, President of the Tobacco Farmers Union of Zimbabwe, urged growers to take extra precautions to protect their produce and earnings. He also called on auction operators to implement stricter access controls to reduce the risk of criminal infiltration.