POLICE in Gweru, the Midlands province, have busted a car battery theft syndicate targeting residents of Gweru and Harare.
The arrested suspects are Clapperton Mangwindime (34), Leo Tanatswa Mataswa (19) and Takudzwa Mutengwa(27).
The other suspects are Musafari Chidukutse (49) of Kuwadzana, who owns Musa Batteries in Harare, Delan Chidukutse (19), an employee of Musa Batteries, and Never Master (53), who operates a motor mechanics garage in Mufakose, Harare.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the arrest of the suspects after police received information that Mutengwa was in possession of bags suspected to be containing stolen stuff.
Police reacted by arresting the suspect, who had already sensed danger and sought refuge at his girlfriend’s place, where he hid under a bed.
“The arrest was made near Isolation Medical Centre, along Matobo Road in Gweru on December 24 at around 11pm, which then led to the arrest of the other five in Gweru and Harare,” Mahoko said.
“A total 18 batteries were recovered, 12 of them from Musa Batteries in Harare. Eleven batteries have so far been positively identified by their owners.”
He said a bag containing tools that were being used to break into locked motor vehicles, four sets of coil packs, an 8 Gig flash drive and an Itel A63 cell phone as well as six live broiler chickens was also recovered
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“The syndicate targeted car batteries and coil packs from parked cars, mostly during the night and the stolen loot would be used to stock the Harare shops,” Mahoko added.
On December 27, 2024, Mangwindime, Mataswa and Mutengwa appeared before a Gweru magistrate, where they were remanded in custody to January 8.
“So far they have been linked to 16 cases committed in and around Mtapa, Cliffton Park, Montrose, Mambo, Tinshell and Ascot residential suburbs,” Mahoko said.
