By Robert Zvidza
One evening Obey Marufu (36) was driving a Toyota Quantum
vehicle in Harare Central Business District along Nelson Mandela Avenue.
At Corner Park Street and Nelson Mandela, he was enticed by
trendy sports shoes which were being sold by vendors on the pavement opposite a
service station and he stopped to buy himself a pair. He parked his vehicle,
switched off the engine, closed the doors of the motor vehicle, and left the ignition
keys on the port, after all this transaction would not take time.
Unknown to Marufu, someone was watching him closely and as soon
as he left to engage the shoe vendors, the person took advantage of the keys in
the ignition, opened the door of the motor vehicle, and drove off at high speed.
Marufu was alerted by the skidding tyres of the vehicle and upon
checking, he saw the vehicle he had parked being driven away at high speed.
He tried to give chase but the accused person had disappeared
into heavy traffic and away he went.
Inside the vehicle, Marufu had left his smartphone with a
netone line. He then made a report at ZRP Harare Central.
Marufu is among many complainants who have lost their vehicles
in that manner after leaving their vehicles unattended with keys on the ignition.
These cases have been on the increase of late and Detectives
have been grappling with such matters and have unearthed a new trend that has
hit the country.
Statistics availed to this publication indicate that in March
alone, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Vehicle Theft Squad had
received 24 such cases and 14 of robbery
of motor vehicles.
On most occasions, vehicles could be recovered and dumped in
different locations without batteries or some small parts but these criminals
seem to have brought a South African flare into their thiving.
Once a vehicle is stolen in South Africa, chances of it being
recovered are next to non as thieves quickly take it to a garage in homes and
strip it for parts or change its appearance in a matter of hours by respraying
it and changing plates among other disguising methods.
“We have discovered that these criminals now take these
vehicles to remote areas where they then strip the vehicle of parts and resale the parts to second-hand spare parts dealers,” said the
Officer-In-Charge CID Vehicle Theft Squad, Detective Chief Inspector Michael
Chiodza in an interview recently.
As Detectives were working on the case of a stolen Toyota
Quantum, investigations led to the arrest of Lameck Phiri of Mbare in Harare
and recovered the smartphone which was stolen together with the car. The phone
had been placed for sale.
This then unearthed a car stealing syndicate that had been on
a rampage in the recent past their way of operating. Lameck led the
detectives to his accomplice in Zin’anga
Village, Seke in Chitungwiza at Chinamasa Homestead where they arrested last
Chinamasa (35) who worked in Cahoots with Lameck and there the Toyota Quantum
was recovered.
However, the accused had already stripped the motor vehicle of its
gearbox, engine, starter motor, and battery and had already sold the parts in
Msasa and Gazaland in Highfields. These were recovered by the detectives during
investigations. The battery was recovered at Lameck’s place of residence.
The number plates of the vehicle were also dumped in a maize
field in Sunningdale and Lameck led the detectives to their recovery.
“We further recovered four other vehicles that were stolen by
the same accused persons in the same manner and after stealing they would
change the identity of the car by replacing the doors with doors of a different
colour, they also tempered with the fenders and the vehicle number plates as
well as the chassis number and the engine number under the bonnet.
“Even if they drove the car around, the owners would hardly
identify it because it would have been changed its identity,” said Det C/Insp
Chiodza.
But in all the cases that we have unearthed, they use the same
method of taking advantage of those that leave keys on the ignition.
One man had his car stolen in the Central Business District in
January in the morning after he left his Toyota Runex unattended with keys on
the ignition as he rushed into Adams clothing shop only to be told by a security
guard that there was someone who had driven his motor vehicle away.
Similarly, Owen Muleya parked his vehicle at a restaurant in
the Central Business District and spent 30 minutes eating. As he was
about to go, he unlocked his vehicle and started the engine, however, he
discovered that he had forgotten dog food in the restaurant and left the car
running with the keys on the ignition. He returned only to see his motor vehicle
missing.
These vehicles have since been recovered by police by the
accused persons who were recently arrested.
“We have always spread the word to the people not to leave car
keys on the ignition when disembarking. They should make sure they lock the
doors and carry their keys with them,said Det C/Insp Chiodza.
Despite the arrest of the duo, detectives still suspect they
could be more of these thieves still roaming the streets freely and calling upon
members of the public to supply information if there are any people whom they
suspect.
“As CID, we are seized with these cases and we are calling upon
the members of the public to report any sinister activities which they suspect
to be criminal to us, especially those that deal in motor vehicles.
“These people live among us and do their deals within homes so
it is only the members of the public who can assist us.”
He further warned people of those criminals who also rob people and steal motor vehicles as
the trend though lower in numbers is also prevalent.
“Be vigilant when driving and know your surroundings. Once you
suspect that someone is following you, drive straight to a police station,”he
said.
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