The Consular Section

The American Embassy
Corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues
Phone: (260)-1-250-955, Fax: (260)-1-252-225
E-mail: ConsularLusaka@state.gov

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WARDEN ANNOUNCEMENT, JULY 03, 2002 (1:35 PM)

The RSO received information in reference to a possible armed robbery that occurred in front of the "Chit Chat" café and confirmed the following information with the Northmead Police:

On Wednesday, June 5, 2002, at 1230 hrs., an expatriate American citizen was robbed at gunpoint outside the Chit Chat Restaurant. Two unknown assailants, one of whom was armed with a handgun, robbed the victim of a camera and other items valued at approximately 3 million Kwacha ($750 USD).

When the victim parked his car adjacent to Omelo Rd., outside the fenced area around the restaurant, the perpetrators blocked his vehicle from the rear. The suspects may have followed the victim from a bank in the area.

This daylight armed robbery should serve to remind us all of some very important safety tips.

While driving, constantly check your rearview mirrors in order to ensure that your are not being followed.
If you suspect you are being followed, you may want to drive a quick "surveillance detection" route. That is, take a few twists and turns to see if the suspect vehicle continues following you. Make sure you don't turn into a dead-end street, though.
If you believe you are being followed, contact the Embassy immediately (this goes for Mission employees as well as "unofficial" American citizens). Meanwhile, don't panic and drive normally to a safe haven. Safe havens include police stations, fire stations, shopping centers, and guarded diplomatic missions. Of course, one of the best safe havens is the U.S. Embassy. Criminals are less likely to carry out their attack if there are witnesses.
If confronted by an armed robber, try to stay calm and non-threatening. Surrender everything the robber wants from you. No material possession is more valuable than your life. While it may be difficult and expensive to replace vehicles, credit cards, cameras, etc., they CAN be replaced. Your life cannot be replaced. Criminals are less likely to harm submissive victims, but usually will not hesitate to assault an uncooperative or combative victim.
It is better to believe that you may someday become the victim of a crime, than to naively believe that bad things will never happen to you. Develop plans of action, how you want to react if confronted by a criminal. Then rehearse your plan, even if the rehearsal is only mental. The goal is to be prepared.
Criminals may target victims in a number of ways. One method is to watch places where potential victims are likely to have money, i.e. banks, shopping centers, bureaus de change, restaurants, hotels, etc. Be extra vigilant in these areas. Watch for surveillance.
Crimes can happen anywhere, any time, at places where we least expect to become victims.
Report, report, report! I cannot stress this enough, so one more time, REPORT! The Embassy learned of this incident second hand, three days after it occurred and the police finally confirmed it seven days later. In order for the Embassy to keep the American community truly abreast of the ever-changing criminal threat in Zambia, American citizens must report crimes. Contact the Consular Section or the Regional Security Office at 250-955 (business hours) or 252-305 (after business hours).

American citizens may also find the above information at: http://www.ds.state.gov and http://www.state.gov. (Follow the links to Consular Affairs or the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) bulletin board).

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