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Court Reporter

A car thief, arrested at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport while failing to find his way out from the car park after stealing a Nissan Liberty vehicle was on Tuesday jailed for two years.

He stole the car on Sunday.

Shingirai Austin Shangu (26) was initially sentenced to three years when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Barbra Mateko, who set aside a year of his jail term on condition of good behaviour.

He had pleaded guilty.

He stole the car from Fast Jet Zimbabwe cabin groomer Themba Calvin.

On Sunday at around 7pm Calvin parked his car at the domestic terminal at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and left keys on the ignition as he went back to the storeroom.

Shangu went into the airport through the fence, jumped into the car and drove away around the runway while looking for an exit.

At around 8pm, Themba went back to where he had left his car and found it missing. He was told that his car was being driven around the runway and went to check.

Themba then saw Shangu driving the car on the international side of the airport and sought police assistance, leading to the thief’s arrest.