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NewsDay

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Burglary cases spike despite lockdown

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A MUTARE family on Sunday lost several cellphones, laptops, printers among other household goods to three armed robbers.

A MUTARE family on Sunday lost several cellphones, laptops, printers among other household goods to three armed robbers.

BY KENNETH NYANGANI/REX MPHISA

Manicaland police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa confirmed the robbery to NewsDay yesterday.

Kakohwa said the armed robbery happened at around 8pm while the family was watching TV.

The robbers, reportedly armed with revolver pistols, cut the burglar bars to gain access into the house.

The three family members who were in the lounge were told to lie down before they were tied with shoe laces.

The family members surrendered three laptops, a desktop computer, a printer and three cellphones, among other small household goods, to the robbers.

Kakohwa said the family lost valuables worth $3 400.

In Beitbridge, poorly-resourced police failed to attend in time to a robbery victim who hid and called from her toilet as thieves hammered to get into her house.

A source from the Criminal Investigations Department at Beitbridge Police said they failed to respond to a distress call because they do not have a vehicle.

“In the end, one of the officers volunteered and drove a team to the scene,” the source said.

At least five shops around the Dulivhadzimo bus terminus, some around and in the outskirts of Beitbridge, and a school had been raided by Saturday night, where substantial amounts of foodstuffs and a fence were stolen.

Officer commanding Beitbridge police, Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo said he had received a report about the school where a 50-metre fence was stolen.

“We have a report of theft of a fence from Dumba School, where fence worth R2 500 was stolen. Am yet to receive other reports for today, which are most likely being compiled,” he said.

A barber with a shop near Dulivhadzimo Police Base said about five shops had been broken into by thieves, who entered through the roofs.

“In one shop, they took loads of groceries and a refrigerator. Foodstuffs seemed the main target of the thieves, who must have been using cars,” the barber, who preferred anonymity, said.

“We suspect the thieves are taking advantage of the lockdown which has left many shops unattended,” he said.

Members of the security forces were patrolling Dulivhadzimo streets, targeting people of no fixed abode who live on shop verandahs.