Police in Marondera yesterday urged residents to be wary of suspected con artists transacting in fake US dollar notes and robbing local business operators known for handling large sums of money.
BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
The move came after an illegal money changer in the farming town lost $750 bond notes to an unidentified man who was selling fake US dollar notes. Speaking during an awareness campaign at Marondera bus terminus, acting provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Tendai Mwanza urged members of the public to desist from moving around with large sums of money.
“The public is warned against moving around with large sums of money. Criminals are on the prowl targeting those believed to be hoarding cash and robbing them. People must, therefore, use the convectional banking system to avoid such incidents. Those using various means for transactions such as debit/credit cards, mobile money transactions must keep their PIN numbers secret to avoid card cloning,” he said.
Card cloning is now rampant in the country as thieves devise new ways to steal from unsuspecting people following the massive shortage of cash. However, criminals now target illegal money changers on the streets, pounce on them and get away with large sums of cash.
As part of the awareness campaign, police also urged the pirate taxi operators to stick to designated pick-up points to avoid congestion.
“The proliferation of Mushikashika [pirate taxis] in Marondera has prompted us to engage taxi operators and drivers to address the problem of those who have a tendency of blocking roads. On the other hand, kombi drivers have developed a wayward behaviour of disregarding traffic rules and regulations and have become a law unto themselves,” Mwanza said.
