In Bulawayo, a taxi driver fell victim to a hijacking incident where two passengers robbed him of his vehicle, cash, and cellphone.
The suspects not only stole the taxi but also stripped it of its parts, with the engine later discovered attached to another vehicle.
According to a statement by Bulawayo Provincial Spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube, the incident took place on September 28, 2023, at around 9:30 pm at the corner of Nketa Drive and Kelvin Road, where Wellington Shumba (29) and Ottis Mpofu (26), both residents of Nkulumane 12, approached the unsuspecting driver under the pretence of needing a ride.
After robbing the complainant, whose identity remains undisclosed but is a 32-year-old individual, of his cellphone, ZAR100, and the vehicle, the perpetrators left him stranded at the intersection of Kelvin Road and Graphite, opposite Grills Abbatoir.
Following a tip-off, detectives from the Vehicle Theft Squad learned that Nhlalwenhle Ndlovu from Emakhandeni was in possession of the stolen engine. The engine was recovered during a search on the Central Vehicle Registration mobile database, revealing that it had been affixed to another Honda Fit with the registration number ABZ 2030.
Insp Ncube further mentioned that the subsequent arrest of the two suspects led to the recovery of the stolen vehicle, as well as a total of $3,500. The police commended the public for their assistance in providing information that led to the successful apprehension of the suspects.
