Armed Robbery at Glen Lorne Guest House: Zimbabwean Family in UK Falls Victim to Violent Attack
In a distressing incident, a Zimbabwean family residing in the United Kingdom was targeted by armed robbers at a guest house in Glen Lorne, resulting in the loss of cash and belongings worth US$4,062.
The victims, Olivia Chitate (42) and Sandra Chitate (46), were subjected to a terrifying ordeal by a group of seven unidentified men armed with iron bars, axes, and wooden sticks. The incident occurred at the Cleopatra Sanctuary guest house on Pembi Close in Glen Lorne. Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, the Harare provincial police spokesperson, confirmed the incident and disclosed that seven family members had been victimized in the attack.
Inspector Chakanza stated, “Police are investigating an armed robbery case where seven family members were assaulted and lost goods and cash at a lodge in Glen Lorne. Two of the victims are based in the United Kingdom and were currently staying at a guest house in Glen Lorne.”
The harrowing incident unfolded around 1:45 am on Saturday when the assailants forcefully entered the guest house by prying open the sliding door. They confronted the victims, demanding cash. Although the family handed over US$400, the robbers deemed it insufficient and proceeded to ransack the entire premises.
The thieves made off with various items, including clothing, an iPad, an iPhone 13 Pro Max, AirPods, multiple cellphones (Samsung S20, Samsung F13, Huawei Nova 2, Samsung A13, and iPhone 6 Plus), six bags filled with clothes, food items, and personal documents. Additionally, they seized the car keys belonging to a Honda CRV and a black Nissan Xtrail, both of which were parked on the premises. The stolen items were loaded into the Honda CRV, which had been hired by the family for their stay in Zimbabwe.
The caretaker’s intervention scared off the robbers, who fled the scene, abandoning the loaded vehicle. However, they managed to escape with bank cards, cellphones, car keys, and US$400 in cash. The total estimated value of the stolen items amounts to US$4,062.
Law enforcement authorities are actively investigating the incident, striving to bring the perpetrators to justice and provide a sense of security to the affected family during this distressing time.
