Chronicle Editor
Crime Reporter
An unknown car thief stole a Mazda Verisa worth thousands of dollars from a 12-year-old boy at a car park at Kamfinsa Shopping Centre in Harare after the minor was left alone by his mother with the vehicle keys.
The mother had gone to buy goodies in one of the supermarkets at the shopping centre when the incident occurred on Saturday.
National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.
“Complainant parked her vehicle at the car park and proceeded into the shop (Pick and Pay) leaving her 12-year-old son in the car with the car keys.
“Accused person approached the 12-year-old boy and advised him that his mother was calling him into the shop. The boy rushed to the shop leaving the accused behind who then drove the vehicle away unnoticed,” he said.
Chief Supt Nyathi urged members of the public to lock their vehicles when parking and not to leave children with the car keys inside.
A report was made to the police and investigations are in progress.
In another incident, a farmer lost 672 bags of fertilizers to an unknown criminal he had hired to transport them to Makonde District from Windmill along Coventry Road.
Chief Supt Nyathi said after being hired, the criminal told the man to remain behind so that he could be picked up by another car since his had no space to ferry him.
“After some time the complainant realised that there was no car coming to pick him up and tried to contact the accused whose phone was switched off. Accused diverted the route and was not located,” he said.
He said those who hire transporters should personally escort them and should not simply direct them to destinations as they risk losing their goods and property.
Online Reporter