TWO security guards in Chilanga have been arrested for allegedly stealing money that had already been stolen from the very shop they were hired to protect.
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The bizarre turn of events unfolded at Gateway Hypermarket located at Petroda Service Station along Kafue Road, where a total of K31,000 was reported stolen in the early hours of yesterday.
According to a police report, the initial theft happened when a suspected burglar, identified as John Phiri, broke into the hypermarket by cutting through the roofing sheets and sneaking inside undetected.
After helping himself to the day’s cash takings, Phiri is believed to have hidden inside the shop toilet with the money.
Around 03:00 hours, the two guards on duty, Austern Lundy and George Hachintu, found the intruder in the toilet and alerted the shop owner, 53-year-old Feroz Alam of Lilayi, who then reported the matter to Chilanga Police Station.
However, when police reviewed CCTV footage, they discovered that after the suspect had hidden the stolen money in the toilet, the same two guards who had reported him were later seen entering the same toilet and walking out with the bag containing the stolen cash.
Following a round of questioning, the guards admitted to taking the bag and led police to where they had hidden it.
So far, K18,087 has been recovered, while the balance remains missing.
All three suspects, the burglar and the two guards, have been charged with breaking into a building and committing a felony and are currently in police custody.
In a statement, police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga advised businesses to take vetting of security personnel seriously.
“The Zambia Police Service continues to urge business owners to enhance internal surveillance and ensure that their security personnel are properly vetted to avoid collusion with criminals,” he stated.
Investigations are ongoing as police work to recover the remaining cash.
By George Musonda
Kalemba July 25, 2025
