Gardener, friend nabbed for gold heist at employer’s Bulawayo home
A gardener and his accomplice have been arrested in Bulawayo for looting close to US$18,000 worth of cash and gold from the home of the gardener’s former employer over a five-month period.
Andrew Chirasha, 28, once worked as a gardener for the 35-year-old victim in Killarney Suburb. Police say Chirasha and his friend Ngonidzashe Kunguya, also 28, would monitor when the homeowner left and take advantage by forcing open the kitchen door with a screwdriver.
They would proceed to steal either cash or gold from the bedroom before making their getaway undetected.
“At first, they took $900 cash and no report was made as the complainant thought his wife was responsible. They went on to steal $400, $6,000, 12kg and 45kg of gold on different occasions without signs of a break-in,” said Bulawayo Police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube.
Chirasha went into hiding when the homeowner suspected his role in the thefts. Police eventually tracked him down to Mahatshula Shops based on a tip-off and he admitted committing the string of unlawful entries and thefts, implicating Kunguya who was also arrested.
Insp Ncube urged the public not to keep large sums of money or valuables like gold at home and to increase security by installing burglar bars on doors and windows.
