Zimpapers Logo

Mashonaland East Bureau

Stock theft is on the rise in Mashonaland East province and the police have warned perpetrators that they will soon be brought to book.

This follows recent reports on the theft of a herd of six cattle from two families in Beatrice.

The rustlers killed the cattle and made off with the meat.

The theft of the six cattle comes barely a month after police in the same area busted a cattle rustling syndicate where 37 cattle worth US$14 800 were recovered.

Mashonaland East police spokesperson Inspector Simon Chazovachiyi, confirmed the incident.

“On April 20 this year at around 6am, Juliet Chifamba (21) of Plot Number 4, Lesban in Beatrice, proceeded to her cattle pen where on arrival she noticed that two of her cattle were missing before conducting a search,” he said.

“She then proceeded to her neighbour, Blessing Chitumo’s homestead, where she also found that his four cattle were also missing from the pen. The pair, who had now teamed up with other villagers to conduct a search for the missing herd, later discovered the remains of the six carcasses by the roadside, with indications that the rustlers had deboned them before vanishing into thin air.” 

Insp Chazovachiyi said the matter was then reported at Mupfure Police Base.

A Chivhu family last week lost two cattle during the night to thieves who went on to debone them before disappearing with the meat.

“Simon Tsvayama of Farm Number 405, Lashier in Chivhu, enclosed his 14 herd of cattle in the pen at sunset before going home,” Insp Simon Chazovachiyi said. “However, the following morning at around 6am, he proceeded to the cattle pen to take his herd to the pastures where he discovered that two cattle were missing.

“All his efforts to locate the missing herd were futile. He proceeded to Nharira Police Base where he filed a report. On his way from the police base, he came across Vincent Muvavarirwa who told him that his missing cattle had been killed and deboned in a bushy area. They proceeded to the place where Tsvayama positively identified cattle the through the remains.”

Insp Simon Chazovachiyi is appealing for information that can help in the arrest of the rustlers.