Police launch operation ‘Batai Munhu’
POLICE in Harare have launched an operation code-named “Batai Munhu” to curb rising armed robberies in and around the city. The operation would target criminals, kombis and private vehicles being used to commit robberies.
It also involves Central Vehicle Registry, Vehicle Inspection Department, city council and the Zimbabwe National Road Administration officials.
Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tadius Chibanda yesterday said plain robberies were on the increase while armed robberies were declining compared with last year’s figures.
“At the moment, we are worried about the method of operation being used by criminals and that is why we have launched this operation,” said Insp Chibanda.
He said criminals targeting motorists were posing as passengers before robbing the owners of cash, valuables and their vehicles. Some criminals are also using vehicles to offer lifts to unsuspecting people before pouncing on them.
Police are targeting vehicles such as Toyota Ipsum, Toyota Gaia, Toyota Raum, Toyota Altezza, Toyota Vitz, Toyota Nadia, Toyota Noah, Nissan Prestige, Nissan Bassara and kombis.
“These are the vehicles that we are targeting because of the reports we are receiving,” said Insp Chibanda.
“We will be targeting the drivers and impounding some of the vehicles depending on the description supplied to us.”
He said the impounded vehicles would be taken CID Vehicle Theft Squad and Homicide sections for further inspection. Insp Chibanda said they had deployed both uniformed and plain clothes officers in the city. He urged the public to co-operate fully with the police during the operation.
Meanwhile, Innocent Matenga, a suspected gang leader of robbers who had committed several housebreaking cases in Cold Comfort was on Friday caught red-handed around 5am in the suburb.
Matenga from Kuwadzana 4 was arrested by members of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee while he was in the process of cutting burglar bars with a bolt cutter. The occupants of the house were awakened by the noise.
They managed to apprehend the suspect with the assistance of the neighbourhood watch committee members. Residents said Matenga confessed that he operated with three other accomplices.
It is alleged that he also pointed to eight other houses in which he had recently broken into and stole property worth thousands of dollars.
