LAW enforcement officers should work out a more effective strategy of combating aggravated robberies perpetrated by sophisticated criminals in broad-day light.
This new wave of violent crime has sent fear among business executives and other entrepreneurs in many parts of the country.
On Saturday in Mahopo area of Lusaka, a business executive lost K68,000 to gun-toting criminals while last week on Friday, bandits waylaid a Star bakery light truck and snatched K110,000 on Broadway in Ndola in the morning. In Nakonde, a similar indent happened.
In the past few months, bandits had attacked rural dwellers from whom they are snatching huge sums of money and other valuables.
A part from Lusaka and the Copperbelt, criminals are traversing the highways in the countryside particularly the Great North Road in Muchinga and Northern provinces.
In February, bandits snatched money from a farmer whom they shot and wounded in Chibombo area before another dastard incident occurred in Kabwe where K100,000 was grabbed from a business executive.
In Mkushi a lone gunman was on the loose for close to four months, attacking patrons in guest houses before police gunned him down during a heavy exchange of fire.
It is clear that the criminals have found easy prey in the outposts which were hitherto safe areas for business executives and residents alike.
Last month in Samfya, a business executive, Mushinge Kabaso, was robbed of K72,000 while at home with his family.
That incident certainly sent fear among villagers most of whom have no access to capital financing to start an enterprise.
The Zambia police should deploy more officers to as many strategic areas as possible. This way, patrols will be more effective and result-oriented.
It is also important to resuscitate community policing not only in the outlaying areas, but also in all parts of the country in order to rid the communities of misfits who are terrorising innocent and hard working people.
Neighbourhood and other community security groups should be formed in all areas to make it easy for residents to identify criminal elements masquerading as innocent visitors or business executives.
Members of the community must embrace the Crime Prevention Foundation of Zambia and take part in many other police and security activities.
All Zambians must participate in crime prevention to protect the much-needed investment.
The country has recorded impressive economic progress in critical sectors and this can easily be blighted by criminals who are now on the loose scaring away potential investors.
We urge police officers to discharge their duties with utmost commitment and use corresponding force on criminals that are proving to be a menace in society.
The Zambia Police Service should recruit more officers and train them in detecting sophisticated crimes. Criminals are on the loose.