Female teacher robbed of phone at knifepoint during midnight bedroom break-in

A female teacher at Mleja Primary School was robbed at knifepoint after an intruder allegedly broke into her bedroom at the teachers’ residence.

The incident happened at around 3 AM on 6 March 2026 while the teacher was asleep on the school premises.

Inspector Chiratidzo Dube, spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Matabeleland South Province, said the teacher was awakened by a suspicious noise at her window before realising an unknown man had entered her room.

The suspect reportedly demanded her mobile phone, but she initially refused to hand it over. Said Insp. Dube:

“The complainant reported that she was awakened by a noise at the window.

“When she woke up and switched on the lights, she saw a male person who was not known to her already inside her bedroom.

“He demanded her cellphone, and she refused to give him the cellphone. He slapped her once on the face and threatened to kill her with a knife.

“She still refused to surrender the phone and screamed in order to alert other teachers.

“She was slapped for the second time before the cellphone was forcibly taken from her.

“The unknown person, who was holding a knife, forced the complainant to give him the password, and she complied.”

Inspector Dube said the commotion alerted other teachers living at the school, prompting the intruder to flee the house and disappear.

The teacher did not sustain any visible injuries, according to police. The stolen phone, an Itel S25, is valued at around US$180.

Inspector Dube urged anyone with information that could help identify and arrest the suspect to contact their nearest police station. *_-Pindula_*