By Prince Sunduzani
ANGRY mourners rained blows on a serial dust bin thief at West Park Cemetery in Bulawayo yesterday after he sought refuge in the graveyard.
Burial business came to a standstill when the thief — only identified as Brian — ran for dear life with the bin owner in hot pursuit at about 10AM.Dust bin thieves have reportedly been wreaking havoc in Northend and surrounding suburbs.
Brian ran out of luck when Baba Russ, the owner of the bin, spotted him along Robert Mugabe Avenue in Northend.
When mourners saw the two sweating men sprinting and jumping over graves, some of them ran away thinking they were ghosts.
Undertakers who heard Baba Russ shouting “stop thief!” apprehended Brian.
Mourners gathered at different graves rushed to the scene and some of them started punching and kicking the bin thief.
Some of his assailants asked Brian why he was running.“This man saw me after I had stolen his bin. He spotted me while he was driving by. I cycled towards the cemetery because I knew he would have a hard time manoeuvring his car around the graves. When I ditched the bicycle, he pursued me on foot,” said the highly co-operative thief.
Brian, who was rescued by female mourners, asked to be pardoned and pledged not to do it again.
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He said the harsh economic environment forced him to steal dust bins for a living.
“Please forgive me. I have already been beaten up, so please don’t take me to the police. I steal bins for a living and that’s how I feed my children. Every Tuesday I go to quiet suburbs and steal bins after the refuse truck has passed,” pleaded Brian while spitting blood from his mouth.
Baba Russ said: “I saw him cycling with my bin on his bicycle. When I recognised the bin, I slowed down and questioned him. He panicked and cycled faster towards West Park. I immediately phoned home to confirm and I was told the bin was nowhere to be found. I then decided to go after him and my chase led me here. This is not the first time I have lost a dust bin to these thieves.”
Brian surrendered the bin and Baba Russ took his cellphone and said he could collect it when he brought his national ID for positive identification. The Chronicle
