Patrick Chitumba [email protected]
POLICE have arrested a four-man gang allegedly linked to 19 cases of theft from parked motor vehicles in Kwekwe, recovering stolen property worth US$3 520 from the suspects.
The cases, involving property valued at US$11 986, were recorded at public car parks outside supermarkets, banks and other service centres in and around Kwekwe town between June and September this year.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said the four suspects were arrested on October 8 at a lodge in Kwekwe where they had booked while allegedly carrying out their criminal activities.
The suspects are Costa Ngwenya (48), Sifiso Mapfumo (48) of Cowdrey Park, Njabulo Tshuma (51) of Pumula East and Sikhangele Masuku (56) of Lobengula, all suburbs of Bulawayo.
Insp Mahoko said the arrests followed intelligence gathered by the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) during investigations into the cases.
“The four, acting in common purpose, allegedly operated at public car parks for motor vehicles outside supermarkets, banks and other service centres. They forced open cars left parked by drivers or owners and targeted electronic gadgets such as laptops, cellphones, handbags and purses containing money and other valuables,” he said.
Insp Mahoko said some of the recovered property, including laptops and cellphones, had been identified by their owners.
“Police have since been able to link the suspects to 19 criminal dockets, and we expect to link them to more cases as investigations continue,” he said.
The recovered property worth US$3 520 represents part of the US$11 986 in losses recorded across the 19 cases.
Insp Mahoko appealed to members of the public with information that could assist investigations to report to CID Kwekwe or any police station.
