The Sunday News
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
A Lobengula West man in Bulawayo was on Thursday arrested by police for allegedly stealing a car in the city centre which he went on to use as a priate taxi commonly known as mshika-shika plying the City- Magwegwe route.
Thuthukani Sibanda (27) allegedly stole a Honda Accord from outside a flat in the Central Business District (CBD) and ran out of luck a few hours after committing the offence when the complainant’s friend called and informed her that he had seen the car in town. Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the dramatic incident.
“Police in Bulawayo arrested Thuthukani Sibanda, a male adult aged 27 of Lobengula West, Bulawayo in connection with a case of theft of a motor vehicle. On 26 January 2023 at around 1830 hours, the complainant a female adult aged 34 years who resides in the CBD parked her silver Honda Accord motor vehicle outside her place of residence. She switched off the engine, closed all windows and locked all doors. She took the car keys and proceeded to her apartment where she opened the door and left the keys hanging outside the door of her room,” said Insp Ncube.
He said when the complainant entered the flat there was another male tenant and his friend who were in the apartment. After a few minutes, the complainant heard them unlocking the screen door going out. She later checked for her keys on the door and discovered that they were not there. She also checked for her motor vehicle in the parking bay and realised it was not there prompting her to file a police report.
“While the complainant was still making a police report, she received a phone call from her friend informing her that he saw the stolen motor vehicle driving past the statue on J M Nkomo St and 8th Avenue heading towards Chicken Inn Jason Moyo. Acting upon the given information, police officers quickly reacted and recovered the stolen vehicle leading to the arrest of the accused person but groceries worth US$33 that were in the car were missing. It was also discovered during investigations that the accused person used the vehicle for mshika-shika errands plying Magwegwe-CBD route,” said Insp Ncube.
Police warned members of the public against engaging in criminal activities saying the long arm of the law will always catch up with them.
“One can enjoy driving a stolen motor vehicle believing that the offence is trivial yet the opposite is true. We also urge people to do due diligence especially on issues to do with target hardening and removal. Leaving keys outside the door increases the risk of being theft victims too,” said Insp Ncube.
