Car tracker nails thief

Whinsley Masara Chronicle Reporter
A CAR tracker recently nailed a Bulawayo man hours after he had stolen a commuter omnibus. Brighton Ncube of Pumula South suburb allegedly stole the kombi in Nkulumane 11. Bulawayo Metropolitan police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said this incident came shortly after another vehicle was stolen in Mzilikazi suburb on April 5.

“I confirm that a vehicle was stolen after a man parked it outside his employer’s house at Nkulumane suburb. The driver left the keys in the ignition and the doors weren’t locked. After a few minutes he was informed by his employer’s son that someone had driven off in the kombi.

“He reported the matter and because of the Econet tracking device installed in the vehicle, the Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS) caught up with the culprit and we’ve since arrested the man,” said Insp Simango.

She warned motorists against leaving car keys in the ignition or windows of their vehicles open.

Polite Moyo, 36, employed as a commuter omnibus driver plying Bulawayo –Tsholotsho said the incident occurred two days after he was employed by someone he would not disclose.

“It was actually my first time in that area as I had gone to leave cash at my employer’s house in the company of my conductor, Vusumuzi Ndlovu. I parked the vehicle, secured the vehicle by switching off the car and closed the windows but didn’t lock them. I left the car keys in the ignition.

“As we were still inside the house, my employer’s 11-year-old son announced that someone was driving away in the kombi,” said Moyo.

Moyo said he rushed outside with his employer but saw no sign of the vehicle.

“We tracked down the vehicle using the Econet tracking device installed in it, until we reached Pumula where we found a boy trying to replace one of the tyres that had burst.”

A few weeks ago, another vehicle was stolen at Mzilikazi suburb and the carjacker was arrested less than an hour later after crashing into a tree, with the VTS hot on his tail.

Keith Ndarangwa, 28, a serial carjacker, who was released from prison in February this year, after serving seven years for the same offence was jailed 10 years for the Mzilikazi car theft.