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Crime Reporter

A 29-year-old Harare serial car thief who was in the habit of purporting to be assisting stranded motorists and also hiring vehicles before stealing them has been arrested in Guruve.

Ronald Zhuwao of Amalinda Road, Glen View, Harare was arrested by police in Guruve over two cases of theft of vehicles and investigations revealed that he also has previous convictions on similar charges.

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Detective Inspector Portia Chinho confirmed the arrest.

“The arrest of the accused person came after the police got information that the accused person who had stolen a Honda Fit from an unsuspecting motorist in Kuwadzana, Harare, had been spotted in Guruve.

“Circumstances are that, on October 17, 2021 around 2100 hours, the accused person approached the complainant who was stuck at Kuwadzana 6 Shopping Centre, Harare, after his vehicle developed a tyre puncture,” she said.

Zhuwao offered to assist the complainant in fixing the tyre and requested to test drive the vehicle.

He then drove off and never came back. Zhuwao is reported to have sold the vehicle to an unsuspecting buyer in Mvuma.

On October 27, Zhuwao again stole a Toyota Wish in Harare’s Central Business District after he purportedly hired the complainant to Domboshava.

“He lured the complainant by giving him US$30-00 to buy clothes for a party which he alleged they wanted to attend together whilst he remained in the car. The complainant left the keys on the ignition and the accused drove off.

Investigations carried out led to his arrest and recovery of the stolen Toyota Wish and the Honda Fit,” Detective Insp Chinho said.

Investigations are still in progress.

She urged members of the public to exercise due diligence and not to trust strangers.

“Those who intend to buy motor vehicles should have them cleared by the vehicle theft squad first as you risk losing your money after buying stolen motor vehicles,” she said.

Meanwhile, police in Beitbridge are appealing for information that may assist in investigating a robbery case that occurred on November 3 near Lutumba.

Five robbers who were armed with okapi knives and an axe pounced on the complainants who were travelling from Beitbridge to Rutenga and stole valuables worth R14 300 and US$22.

The complainants had stopped after hearing an unusual sound on the car they were travelling and were ascertaining the source of the sound when they were pounced upon.