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Rejoyce Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
POLICE have expressed concern over increasing robbery cases in which motorists are falling prey to criminals posing as genuine transport seekers across the country.
In some of the cases, motorists have also lost their vehicles after leaving their cars unattended with keys on the ignition ports.
In a statement, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said some of the latest cases took place in Bulawayo.
He said on Sunday at around 2am, a 45-year-old man had an altercation with five men who were in a BMW outside a nightclub at Ascot race course.
“He then parked his Honda Fit vehicle registration number AFO 5439 and charged towards the BMW vehicle leaving his car keys on the ignition port,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said an unknown suspect came, stole the car and drove off while the complainant was confronting the five men in the BMW.
He said on the same day at around 3am, a 22-year-old taxi driver was attacked and robbed of a Honda fit vehicle registration number AFD 8145, a cellphone and US$100 after he was hired by two unknown suspects from Bulawayo’s city centre to Nhliziyo Shopping Centre in Entumbane suburb.
“On November 5, 2022 at about 8pm, a 27-year-old man offered a lift to two unknown male suspects who purported to be going to Chinhoyi at Westgate in Harare. Upon arrival at the 113-kilometre peg along Harare-Chirundu Road, the suspects asked to be dropped. They then attacked the complainant and stole US$3 600 and a Honda Fit vehicle with the registration number AFY 4575,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
Asst Comm Nyathi said the previous day at around 7pm, a 34-year-old man also lost a Honda fit vehicle registration number AFT 2657, a DSTV decoder, 13 cellphones, seven power banks and personal documents to two unknown male suspects after he offered them a lift in Harare.
Also on the same day, he added, another car was stolen in Warren Park in Harare after a woman had left a Toyota Wish vehicle with a registration number AEL 2656 for safekeeping.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police urges motorists to be alert and stop giving lifts to strangers in their vehicles no matter the circumstances or situation,” he said. – @ReeSibanda
Online Reporter