Panic has gripped residents of Teleku-Bokazo in the Elembelle Municipality after a heavily armed gang launched a daring daylight robbery, targeting at least five gold-buying shops in a coordinated operation that left three people injured and many in shock.
According to eyewitnesses, the robbery unfolded around 5:30 p.m. when about seven men, dressed in black and armed with guns, stormed the town and began firing warning shots into the air.
The gang, described as heavily built and highly aggressive, moved from shop to shop, brutalizing occupants, smashing safes, and making away with large sums of money and quantities of gold.
After ransacking the gold shops, the robbers reportedly turned their attention to a phone shop in the area, where they made off with dozens of mobile phones and an unspecified amount of cash.
The brazen attack has left residents reeling in fear, with many calling for increased security in the community.
Elembelle District Police Command have since deployed officers to the scene and a manhunt is underway to track down the suspects.
