A daring thief admitted to breaking into houses of police and prisons and correctional services officers residing at the neighboring Chimoio Police Depot and Harare Central Prison staff housing and stealing appliances.
Talent Katupira (22) of Overspill in Epworth pleaded guilty to 14 counts of unlawful entry and theft when he appeared before Harare magistrates Mr Shane Kubonera, who remanded him in custody to Friday for sentencing.
On January 17 this year, Stanley Chimoto of Area E in ZRP Chimoio Depot and employed at ZRP Police Protection Unit State Motorcade placed an Acer laptop into the charger and went to bed. Around midnight, Katupira opened a broken dining room window and stole the laptop.
At around 2am, Chimoto’s wife woke up to place her phone on the charger only to find the laptop gone. The laptop was valued $66 000.
On the same night, Netsai Marufu from the same camp, went to bed leaving her Vodafone 1588 cellphone plugged into the charger in the dining room. Katupira broke into the dining room and stole it. Ms Marufu discovered that her phone was missing on the following morning. The phone was worth $23 000.
Aaron Nyoni, a police officer stationed at ZRP Police General Headquarters Statistics, also lost his Vodafone 1588 cellphone to Katupira in the same fashion after leaving it in his dining room charging.
Nicodimus Nyamandi, who resides at Harare Central Prison staff housing, lost an Acer laptop, iPhone 7, Itel A37 cellphone and Itel A56 cellphone which were charging in the dining room.
Using the same method, Katupira also stole Themba Khumalo’s 32-inch flat screen TV, HP laptop and a satchel.
They were valued at $78 000 and goods worth $22 400 was recovered.
Samuel Maramba, of ZRP Chimoio Camp Depot was in February this year awakened by Katupira’s footsteps, and switched on the lights. He then grabbed Katupira whilst calling out for help but Katupira overpowered him and jumped out through the window and fled empty handed.
Sibekithemba Sibanda on March 28 left the house to fetch some water at a nearby tap and left the doors closed but not locked. Katupira took advantage of Sibanda’s absence, got in through the door and stole a wallet containing US$300, $2 000 and clothes.
Trust Chiboyi lost an Acer laptop and Itel A36 cellphone while Thabani Ndlovu lost a 32-inch plasma television and a Itel A56, which were in his dining room.
Prison officer Gaudencia Mutamiri of Harare Central Prison Old Camp lost a Dell laptop, Samsung A51 and a laptop bag containing US$300.
Samantha Chisina lost an Itel P36, P37 cell phones, Huawei cellphone and laptop.
Pelagia Mapuranga had her Itel mini laptop and an Itel Bluetooth speaker stolen while Thembinkhosi Mtetwa lost a Dell laptop and an Itel cellphone and Adrian Natsai Njanike lost goods. Katupira was arrested on May 3.
Mrs Marian Furidze prosecuted.
-State Media