Cowdray Park, Hillside lead in city burglary cases

BULAWAYO’S most populous suburb, Cowdray Park, has the highest number of burglary cases in the city followed by the affluent Hillside suburb, police have said.

Cowdray Park with a population of over 75 000 residents, is bigger than Hwange Town and Gwanda Town, and remains on a growth trajectory. Police recently revealed that the suburb also has the highest number of reported gender-based violence cases.

The thieves are targeting electrical gadgets including television sets, laptops, solar batteries, solar panels among other household appliances.

Acting Bulawayo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele yesterday attributed the high unlawful and entry incidences to under-development in the suburb.

“Cowdray Park has the highest crime of unlawful entry and theft in Bulawayo. Why? Because the suburb is still under construction and other people reside there because of cheap rentals. They live in uncompleted structures where it is easy for burglars to enter their houses,” said Asst Insp Msebele. She said homeowners do not fortify their security to make it impossible for criminals to break into their homes.

“Other houses do not have burglar bars, they don’t have screen doors and even don’t even have proper doors while others do not have window panes. Windows are covered with plastics and this attracts thieves to enter their houses as it will be easy to break in,” she said.

The police spokesperson said in Cowdray Park police are recording an average of two to three cases of unlawful entry and theft daily.

Asst Insp Msebele said of concern is that during the unlawful and entry cases, suspects were not just stealing but in some cases they rape home occupants. “So, as police, we encourage residents to employ target hardening techniques. They should make it so difficult for a criminal to enter their houses. We have to find them still struggling to attempt to break into premises because there are screen doors and all the security measures,” said Asst Insp Msebele.

She said some of the unlawful entry and theft occur during day time as residents do outdoor chores.

Asst Insp Msebele said residents leave their homes unlocked and criminals also conduct surveillance of homes and pounce in their absence.

“Remember we had that incident in Nketa where a woman who was released from prison raided six houses in Nketa suburb where she was stealing cellphones. Most of the houses were left unattended and unlocked,” said Asst Insp Msebele.

She said Hillside suburb also records high unlawful entry cases but what is different with the affluent suburb is that its residents practice target hardening.

“But with Hillside, most of the suspects are caught because the community has an active neighbourhood watch committee. The neighbourhood watch committee responds swiftly especially when someone attempts to break into homes. In most cases, we record unlawful entry cases without theft. Also, people in Hillside try to increase security of their properties through installation of alarms and burglar bars,” she said. -@nqotshili