Armed robberies surge in Zim since Mugabe freed convicts.

Harare - Armed robberies have surged to record highs in the Zimbabwe capital, state radio reported on Monday, blaming the spike on an amnesty that freed dozens of convicted criminals.

It said police were launching a crackdown on gun crime after robbers stole cars at gunpoint and used firearms in burglarising houses to steal valuables, televisions, electronic goods and cash.

State radio said at least four cases of armed robbery were reported daily in Harare in the past two weeks, the highest on record.

It blamed the situation on an amnesty authorised by President Robert Mugabe to make room for perpetrators of political violence surrounding a disputed presidential runoff election in June.

Up to now, gun crime has not been common in Harare. Government critics, however, believe that crime is being spurred by the deepening political and economic turmoil in the southern African nation.

Zimbabwe's economic meltdown has led to brisk illegal black market trading and growing use of US dollars in basic transactions. With chronic shortages of local cash available at banks, cash and hard currency are often kept at home.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change says at least 120 of its supporters were killed in political violence blamed on Mugabe supporters surrounding parliamentary elections March 29 and the disputed June 27 presidential runoff.

Thousands more were displaced from their homes and hundreds of opposition supporters were jailed for allegedly perpetrating political violence.

On June 10, Mugabe's Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa announced a prisoner amnesty to "create space" in the nation's jails for political offenders. He said prisoners convicted of murder, rape and other serious offenses would not be freed.