Cop ‘steals’ 3 whiskeys, caught on camera
By Mashudu Netsianda
A police constable based at Ntabazinduna Police Training Depot was arrested after he was caught on closed circuit television (CCTV) camera while allegedly stealing a bottle of whisky and two bottles of wine all valued at $97 from a local supermarket.
Elliot Chuma (33) of Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo, who was nabbed on his second failed attempt to steal, appeared before magistrate Ms Adelaide Mbeure Nyarai yesterday facing two counts of theft.
He was not asked to plead to the charges and was remanded out of custody to November 27.
Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said on November 10, Chuma went to TM Pick n Pay Supermarket located along Fife Street between Leopold Takawira Avenue and 8th Avenue in the city’s Central Business District.
The court heard that while inside the shop, Chuma, who was carrying an empty laptop bag, allegedly picked a 750ml bottle of whisky branded Glenbrynth valued at $48,99 and shoved it inside his bag.
“The accused person hid the bottle of whisky inside his laptop bag and walked out of the shop without paying for it and he was captured on CCTV camera, ” said Mr Mageza.
The court heard that on November 14, TM Pick n Pay management reported the matter at Bulawayo Central Police Station under case number CR333/11/18.
On November 15 at around 5PM, Chuma allegedly went back to the same shop in police uniform carrying his bag.
He picked two bottles of Amarula and hid them inside his black laptop bag. However, the unsuspecting Chuma ran out of luck after his movements in the shop were closely monitored on CCTV camera. He tried to walk out of the supermarket without paying and was apprehended by an alert security guard.
A report was made to the police leading to Chuma’s arrest and subsequent recovery of the stolen bottles of Amarula worth $49.
A CCTV recording was replayed and it showed Chuma allegedly committing a similar offence earlier using the same modus operandi.
The total value of the stolen liquor was $97. The Chronicle.
