By A Correspondent- The current lockdown currently underway to fight coronavirus pandemic has seen a surge in crime as people are hard-struck to make a decent living in Harare.
Residents took to social media timelines decrying the wave of criminal incidences saying it has by and large become a thorn in the feet with mostly daring unemployed youngsters involved in house break-ins.
As a result however, some neighbourhoods have coalesced neighborhood watch committees to keep an eye on properties even in their absence.
“Getting stolen from is not amusing. In Helensvale in our street, we hired a private security company and we are paying 20 dollars every household. We had seen a lot of crime last month,”said Cynthia.
“Thieves must be arrested, they give us pain,”she added.
Another Harare resident Phillip Pisirayi said he recently experienced a break-in that is costly in a very challenging economy.
“Yes things are tough but that doesn’t justify breaking into other people’s houses. Government must be tough with these lazy chaps,’
“They took my 500 littres water tank last week and now I have to part with another USD 400 for a replacement,”he added.
Youngsters from Epworth have been largely blamed as the main culprits for a spate of crime in Northern Eastern Harare.
Mudavanhu Gitsa said:
“The Epworth team is a menace and the way they strike tell it is after a massive surveillance. I suspect when they move around with hoes looking for piece jobs, they would be doing surveillance,”
“Getting stolen from is painful. Well, this is the same pain when Zanu PF inflicts on societies when they steal diamonds and other precious minerals. Corruption by the elites and ruling oligarchs must get the same condemnation,”Gitsa added.
Earlier this month, thieves broke into former The Herald Newspaper Editor’ s place in Greendale, Harare and stole a 55 inch plasma television set which is yet to be recovered and no arrests have been made so far.
Another resident Lawrence Archibald Bhebhe said the recent crime wave has been unheard of.
“Thieves are now a menace in the neighbourhoods. The bad thing is that they are so daring,’
“I heard a place where they stole money from a woman and her daughter during this lockdown,”he said.
Another city resident along Bulawayo Road Tawanda Willis Chigumbura said he was recently mugged in the house.
“My TV was stolen, my phones , my gas tank in the house. I had visitors, they were also mugged. The following month my neighbour lost the same items like me,”
“But the police came and took statements.It ended there. This side around Bulawayo road is terrible. The level of crime is horrendous,’ he said.
Luke Mbune said they stole three chickens at his place while another resident Author Bothwell Masikoto said: ‘ I suffered the same a few weeks ago , the same number of chickens. Add security and put the locks inside not outside ,”he said.
Ratidzi Mgungu concurred Harare is in ucharttered territory with incremental occurences of crime.
“Let’s not justify the work of thieves. Last week they broke into my niece’s house in Shawasha Hills. She is a single parent,”
“They stole everything they could grab including bath soap and meat in the fridge. They nearly raped her daughter but luckily one of the burglars was against it and they let go. On top of that they defaecated by the gate , Cheeky, she was left traumatised. It is nonsense,”he said.
-Online