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Crime Reporter 

There is an increase in cases of  thieves selling stolen vehicles to unsuspecting buyers, police said yesterday.

This comes after police have in the past few months, arrested several car thieves while several people have lost their hard-earned cash after buying stolen cars.

Recently, the Criminal Investigation Department’s Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS) arrested Kelvin Peregumi (32) after he stole a silver Nissan VIP vehicle worth US$4 000 in the city.

Peregumi had pretended to be assisting a motorist after the car had developed a mechanical fault along Churchill Road.

Peregumi, who was believed to have been looking for buyers, then gave the vehicle to a friend who was caught driving it.

VTS spokesperson Detective Sergeant Fanuel Nyamusa said the owner of the broken down vehicle asked Peregumi to start the engine of the vehicle while he was monitoring the fault from outside.

“The accused got into the motor vehicle and then drove off leaving his plastic bag that was containing some groceries, with the complainant at the scene. 

“The complainant waited for the accused person thinking that he was just test driving the vehicle and he would return,” he said.

On November 24, detectives received information that the stolen car had been spotted in town and they managed to arrest Peregumi’s friend, Zivai Murendazviya (34) of New Msasa Park.

Upon his arrest, he revealed that he had been given the vehicle by Peregumi, who was in Rusape.