A gang of eight armed robbers attacked Sable Ranch Farm in Marondera on Monday night and ripped a tonne of copper coils out of two Zesa transformers.

The gang knocked on one of the employees’ door at the farm and introduced themselves as police officers.

They kicked the door open and ordered the employee and his wife not to make any noise and threatened them with unspecified action if they disobeyed, before tying their hands with a rope.

At the next house, they did the same to a security guard and his wife and brought them where the first victims were guarded by two other robbers, with the two women locked in a separate room.

The gang then wired up the door from the outside before going for the transformers.

Police spokesperson for Mashonaland East Inspector Simon Chazovachiyi said the gang first attacked Tendai Pundo (37) who is employed by Sable Ranch Farm as a pump attendant who was watching TV with his wife Rutendo Mupanguri.

The gang, armed with a pistol and iron bars, broke down their door.

They then brought in the tied security guard Tatenda Chikafu and his wife.

While two of the gang guarded the house, the other six went to the Zesa transfomers and stole two sets of 500kg windings valued around US$24 000.

Inspector Chazovachiyi said ZRP Marondera Rural, the CID minerals and flora unit and the Zesa loss control team were now investigating and hunting down the gang.