The Sunday News
Richard Muponde Sunday News Correspondent
PRAY with one eye open, lest you lose all your valuables in the middle of a prayer session. This best explains the ordeal church goers are enduring in the western suburbs ever since a new breed of thieves who prey on praying Christians emerged.
The thieves are reportedly a syndicate which targets church congregants at their places of worship.
Reports say the thieves come as innocent visitors and while in the church scan for their potential targets that they strike at the right time — during prayer.
Members of the syndicate target valuables such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, wallets and handbags.
Incidents of congregants losing their valuables during prayer sessions have become prevalent, forcing some churches to make announcements warning their congregants to be on the lookout for thieves.
On Sunday last week, Sunday News witnessed, at one of the Pentecostal churches near Sekusile Shopping Centre, a church leader announcing that church members be on high alert and not leave their valuables unattended.
Bulawayo police spokesperson, Inspector Precious Simango confirmed receiving reports of thieves targeting churches and has appealed to churches to beef up their security during prayer sessions.
“We would like to appeal to members of the public to jealously guard their property during and after church services. It has been noted with great concern that thieves are targeting churches where they go wearing sheep’s skin when they are actually wolves who pounce on unsuspecting congregants,” said Insp Simango.
“People are advised not to leave their gadgets such as laptops, smartphones, tablets and handbags unattended during and after church services.
“Churches are being conscientised to improve their security by strategically placing alert ushers on entrances and positioning them where they see all the activities in and outside the church. We also appeal to congregants to report all theft cases to their nearest police stations.”
Elder Efias Mkwananzi, a leader at the Pentecostal church near Sekusile Shopping Centre, confirmed the existence of thieves targeting Christians in churches in the area.
“Last Sunday we had our Big Day at our church and it was announced twice for church members to be on the lookout.
“The announcement was made before a prayer session, which we call Devotion time and during praise and worship being led by the praise team band,” said Elder Mkwananzi.
The thefts are prevalent in Nkulumane, Nketa and Emganwini suburbs and mainly at Pentecostal churches.
Some daring criminals are said to be also breaking into congregants’ vehicles parked in and outside church premises.
Churches in these suburbs have since boosted their security by employing ushers to guard properties.
Reverend Paul Damasane of Citywide Family of God church also confirmed that the thieves were also targeting churches in the Bulawayo central business district.
“I think the main reason is that our society is going through a tough time. Thieves have realised that people in the church are people with hope and blessings and also have certain possessions which other people don’t have. Pentecostal churches are viewed as material churches and their deep concentration during time of prayer makes them gullible that a person who comes into the church takes advantage of that,” said Rev Damasane.
“I have seen this happening in Pentecostal churches in the city centre. You should realise that these thieves are sophisticated. They target smartphones, laptops and other sophisticated gadgets. I urge the congregants to be thorough with their security during prayers and take good care of their valuables even in church,” he added.
A pastor with a Pentecostal church in Nkulumane who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal confirmed that they had been a target of organised crime by criminals who come into church during their prayer sessions and later disappear with the congregants’ items.
“We started noticing the trend during our Easter conference where a number of valuables were reported missing. We began to wonder what could be happening since it was something new. We began to suspect that some people among our congregants were responsible for the missing property. It was no longer a healthy situation at all since members were beginning to suspect each other,” he said.
