Crime reporter

SECURITY companies whose guards continue to be involved in criminal activities, particularly armed robberies, will now be viewed as organized crime syndicates masquerading as security service providers, police said.

The sentiments come after a rise in armed robberies in which security guards were attacked by robbers while carrying large amounts of cash.

Harare Province Commanding Officer, Commissioner Maxwell Chikunguru, has challenged security companies to implement continuous lifestyle audits on their guards to determine if they are living beyond their means.

“Familiarize yourself with their environments and behaviors to ensure they align with their responsibilities. Don’t hesitate to stop hiring people with criminal records. Never compromise integrity for profit by hiring criminals. If your guards continue to be involved in crime, we will have no choice but to see your organization as a criminal syndicate masquerading as a security provider,” he said.

Comm Chikunguru proposed several platforms for the police and businesses to continuously work together.

“First, I suggest we exchange contact information and start actively communicating, informing each other of what’s going on and sharing ideas on how we can win this battle. Make sure you have the contact details of the nearest police station, officers in charge and other security stakeholders. When armed robbers strike, contact us and together we can effectively respond and combat this threat.

“Secondly, I urge you to hire us to help you vet and train your guards. We welcome the opportunity to speak directly to your security guards, providing them with security tips that can improve their skills. Invite us into your companies and let us help you in this critical area. In addition, we can provide counseling for guards who struggle with substance abuse, which can negatively affect their performance and effectiveness,” he said.

On the third proposal, Comm Chikunguru said the police should be allowed to jointly monitor security guards during police night patrols.

“You can draw up logbooks for our policemen to sign when they pass by your premises. The finer details of this arrangement can be worked out between your organization and your local police station, ensuring that we work together effectively to maintain security. Finally, I call for unity in our march against crime.

“We work closely with our public relations officers to get the latest crime tips, share information and form social media groups to enhance our collective efforts to fight crime. This united approach will not only strengthen our response but also foster a sense of community vigilance essential in our fight against criminal activities,” said Comm Chikunguru.

Acting Officer in Charge of Homicide CID (Harare), Detective Inspector Anele Mkandla, said the manner in which these guards were tricked and misled by the robbers leaves much to be desired.

“The other worrying issue is the lack of training in the use of firearms. It is necessary to properly train the security guards in this regard so that they can also provide assistance when dealing with these criminals. In this context, security companies should rise to the occasion and help in the fight against violent crime,” he said.

Det Insp Mkandla expressed concern about an increase in home and business robberies nationwide.

“In commercial premises, most will be guarded by security guards or the premises are protected by alarm systems which are operated by various security companies in Zimbabwe. In most cases, the guards are captured and disarmed with their firearms.”

“Unfortunately, security companies have been hit by armed robbery without providing any assistance and in some cases the response teams are also cornered by these thieves and captured in the process. We have several scenes where security response teams have been captured by robbers and their service pistols stolen, which are in turn used to commit other robberies,” Inspector Mkandla said.