THE police in Tarime/ Rorya Zone have mounted an operation to track a dangerous armed gang that attacked a bureau de change outlet in Sirari Border Township and made away with millions of shillings at gunpoint.
The afternoon incident occurred on Tuesday when the armed gang of about five people invaded the money changing shop owned by Mr Dexon Ntary in the busy town, shooting in the air aimlessly when operators were about to close their daily activities.
Tarime/Rorya Zonal RPC Henry Mwaibambe, who is leading the operation in collaboration with other security organs, said on Thursday that the police were cooperating with their Kenyan counterparts to endure to the operation succeeded.
He said no one was injured during the armed robbery incident and the police were still investigating to identify the exact amount of cash robbed during the incident and the whereabouts of armed gang.
The RPC noted that there were a number of suspects under police custody for questioning although he did not reveal their identities, pending investigation procedures.
He added that several empty cartridges were retrieved at the scene of armed robbery.
He appealed to members of the public to provide any suspicious information they might have on the incident and assured that every piece of information would be treated as confidential.
‘’The police have also held several people in connection with rustling by which five dangerous suspected criminals were gunned down during a shootout with the police last month during operations that enabled the police to recover two illegal guns,’’ he said.
The incident has left members of the public in anxiety due to the fact that the armed robbery took place a few metres from the heavily guarded East Africa’s one-stop border post building and Sirari NMB Bank branch on the Tanzanian-Kenyan border.
‘’We urge the police to speed up investigation and hold the gang that has been terrorising Sirari residents without delay because the incident happened near the main government building used as an entry point to our country,’’ said Mr Mwita Range, a businessman.
