Boy (16) jailed 8 years for stealing 3 cars
Juvenile nabbed after daring escape from cops in stolen car
By Auther Chimbgwa
A 16-year-old boy from Jambezi in Matabeleland North has been jailed for eight years by a Hwange magistrate who found him guilty of stealing three cars from different owners recently.
Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) spokesperson Detective Inspector Rachael Muteweri confirmed the conviction of the minor, who is from Chief Shana, Jambezi for three counts of car theft.
His name could not be published on ethical reasons.
Said Detective Inspector Muteweri: “The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) seeks to put on record the arrest and subsequent conviction of a juvenile, aged 16, of Chief Shana, Jambezi for three counts of theft of motor vehicles.”
According to police, on 3 June 2026, and at around 8.30pm, one of the minor convicts’ victims parked his Honda Fit vehicle at home and retired to bed.
During the night, the juvenile used an unknown object to unlock the vehicle, started the engine and drove off.
The car owner woke up the next morning to find his car missing, prompting him to file a police report.
The stolen vehicle was later recovered in Cinderella, Hwange.
“Using the same modus operandi, the juvenile stole another Honda Fit on 4 June 2026 after the victim parked the vehicle outside the yard before retiring to bed,” said Muteweri.
“The vehicle was subsequently recovered on 10 June 2026 after detectives from CID Victoria Falls received information that the vehicle was dumped at Sawanga Mall in Victoria Falls.”
Police launched investigations.
On 10 June 2026, Detectives came across the suspect seated in the third vehicle, a Honda Fit, reportedly stolen earlier on the same day.
Upon noticing detectives, the juvenile started the vehicle and drove off at high speed.
He was later on arrested and the motor vehicle recovered.
Appearing before Hwange Regional Magistrate Shepherd Munjanja on 25 June 2026, the juvenile was convicted and sentenced to eight years imprisonment.
Meanwhile, in another case involving the theft of a motor vehicle, two suspects were arrested on Wednesday, and were set to appear in court facing the offence.
Edmore Chiseko (43) and Dean Chirimunimba (32), according to Muteweri, were arrested by CID Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS) Harare after detectives learnt that the later was selling a Honda Fit suspected of having been stolen.
“Follow-ups were made, leading to the arrest of the suspects, the recovery of a forged registration book and the motor vehicle,” said Muteweri.
“Further investigations revealed that the suspects would hire motor vehicles from car rental companies before fraudulently selling them to unsuspecting buyers after forging registration documents.”
