Gang breaks into 24 houses in 7 months

By Thupeyo Muleya

POLICE in Beitbridge have arrested three men who have been on the wanted list for the past 10 years, in connection with several cases of unlawful entry and theft in the border town.

Patrick Mulambo, 36, Farai Mutomba, 29, and Cheeseman Vutete, 39, all of no fixed abode, are accused of breaking into 24 houses and stealing electrical gadgets between March and October this year alone.

It is reported that they used iron bars to break into some of the houses. The three were arrested on Monday and police are now investigating other cases they committed over the last decade.

Magistrate Gwyneth Drawo remanded them in custody to October 24 during a court appearance in which they were all not asked to plead to the 24 counts of unlawful entry and theft. Prosecuting, Jabulani Mberesi told the court that the trio operated as a team. They allegedly stole electrical gadgets, cell- phones and clothes.

He said the suspects used Vutete’s unregistered Toyota Corolla as a get-away car.

The prosecutor said Mulambo and his accomplices would pounce on the houses between 1AM and 3AM in the morning.

The state alleges that during that period, the trio stole property worth $15,576 and goods valued at $3,995 were recovered.

Police arrested the trio on Monday, following a tip off. Following their arrest, the three led police to most of the houses they had broken into, say prosecutors.

They also took detectives to their safe house in Dulibadzimu, where some of the stolen items were recovered and positively identified by their owners. The Chronicle