Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
BOOM! A daring five-man housebreaking syndicate led by a trusty gardener-turned-master thief has been busted — and cops pulled off a blockbuster recovery of stolen goods worth over US$75 000 in Bulawayo’s leafy Hillside suburb … in just under 24 hours!
The shock mastermind behind the criminal enterprise has been identified as John Malinga, a former gardener to one of the victims, Victor Rakabopa, who was stripped of two television sets, solar batteries, gas tanks and three car batteries during the gang’s ruthless three-month reign of terror in Hillside.
This was no small-time operation. Police recovered an astonishing haul that looked more like inventory from a hardware store than stolen goods.
This included 43 car batteries, five heavy-duty lithium solar batteries, two refrigerators, two lawn mowers, three generators, seven tyres, five gas tanks, a sewing machine, a micro balancing Sartorius machine, and even two bottles of expensive whiskey.
Yes, they even had time to loot the liquor cabinet.
According to Detective Inspector Zwelihle Ndlovu, the Hillside area had been plagued by a spike in house break-ins and theft from vehicles between March and May 17, sparking fear among residents.
But the game changed just before midnight on May 19, when an alert resident spotted a black Honda Fit with suspicious occupants parked at the Hillside Shopping Centre.
Police swooped in, searched the vehicle, and immediately struck gold. Two Samsung TVs were found in the car, and the suspects had no explanation.
The suspects were hauled into custody, and under interrogation, the house of cards collapsed. What followed was a police-led blitz of raids and recoveries, described as one of the fastest and most effective sting operations in recent memory.
What shocked the community even more was the betrayal. The ringleader had once trimmed lawns and tended flower beds for some of the people he later robbed blind.
“This guy used to cut our grass… now he was clearing out our homes,” said one stunned neighbour.
Police believe the operation was well coordinated, with stolen goods hidden in residential properties and moved using private vehicles, including the now-infamous Honda Fit.
Investigations are still underway, and more arrests or links to other thefts are expected. Authorities are urging anyone in the area who lost property to report to Hillside Police Station as the recovered stash grows.
The break-ins were an inside job, run with military precision, by the last person anyone suspected…
