Source: Car Thefts Surge Across Zimbabwe ⋆ Pindula News
Picture Credit: Hopewell Chin’ono
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has expressed grave concern over a recent surge in motor vehicle thefts across the country and is urging motorists to take immediate steps to secure their vehicles and assist in curbing these crimes.
According to a ZRP statement issued on June 16, 2025, cases of vehicle theft are becoming increasingly common, occurring in residential areas, overnight car parks, and in instances where vehicle owners leave keys in unattended vehicles. Worryingly, some thefts involve motorists who offer lifts to strangers.
ZRP spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said on 12 June 2025, police recorded five cases of vehicle theft in Harare and Mashonaland West, involving six vehicles.
One such case in Avonlea, Harare, involved unknown suspects breaking into company premises and stealing two vehicles, a Toyota Hilux and a Mazda BT50, along with other valuables including generators, cement, refrigerators, solar batteries, money-counting machines, and a digital camera.
Police have since recovered one money-counting machine and the Toyota Hilux, which was found abandoned in Majuru Village, Kutama.
Several other incidents confirmed by the ZRP point to potential negligence on the part of vehicle owners. Said Comm. Nyathi:
In another incident on 11th June 2025, at around 2100 hours, a complainant parked his Honda Fit vehicle in the backyard of a shop at Urugwe Compound, Mutorashanga. He left the keys inside the car and retired to bed. At around midnight, he woke up and found the vehicle missing.
On the same date, a 29-year-old man lost his Toyota Fun Cargo vehicle after allowing a man, only known as Moses Kachasu, to sleep in the vehicle at his residence in Chiedza, Karoi. The complainant had taken the car keys to his room, but when he woke up, he found that Moses Kachasu had stolen the vehicle, apparently using unknown means to start and drive the vehicle away.
On 11th June 2025, at around 2200 hours, a 45-year-old complainant parked a Nissan Caravan NV350 in his yard in Fairview Park, Ruwa. He locked the doors and retired to bed, leaving the car keys on top of the wardrobe. An unknown suspect broke into the house, stole the keys, other household goods and drove away in the complainant’s vehicle.
In a separate incident, on 12th June 2025 at 2000 hours, another complainant left his unlocked Honda Fit vehicle at the corner of Leopold Takawira and Samora Machel Avenue, Harare while attending to other business. When he returned at around 2100 hours, he found that the car had been stolen.
Commissioner Nyathi, in his statement, urged motorists to be “cautious, vigilant, alert, secure their vehicles properly and avoid leaving car keys in unattended vehicles.”
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