Smash-and-grab thieves on the loose H-METRO

THERE has been a surge in cases of “smash-and-grab” from motor vehicles in Harare.

A number of motorists have been left to count their costs after being attacked by these daring thieves.

Night driving has also become a big risk as some new gangs appear to be on the loose.

They snatch valuables from targeted motorists before vanishing into thin air.

In some cases, they cause confusion on the road, which gives advantage to their peers to snatch from motorists.

The rate at which such cases have been happening is worrisome and scary. Such incidents do occur in a flash when victims are trapped in traffic jams.

Some of these offences take place in homes, busy road traffic intersections and parking lots.

The daring suspects seem to have mastered their art as they easily get away with motorists’ valuables without any difficulties.

They target both sleek and battered vehicles on the roads and parking bays.

This calls for motorists to be on high alert all the time.

Some have since stopped offering rides to desperate pedestrians, for fear of losing their valuables, to these syndicates. With people toiling tirelessly to acquire their valuables, surely we can’t afford to lose our treasures cheaply.

Over the years, the homeless and children living on the streets were known for masterminding such cases of “smashand-grab”.

However, the trend seems to be changing with the new breed of thieves devising new methods.

At first sight, you won’t suspect these thieves as some of them will be clad in good suits and driving nice cars.

They can trail their targets for kilometres before pouncing on them if the opportunity arises.

Some of the thieves appear to be gentlemen and ladies of class.

On Tuesday, we carried the story involving a Harare businessman who has a video recording of thieves who smashed and stole valuables from his car. The victim was believed to have been trailed from Leopold Takawira Street to a sports club in Alexandra Park.

The businessman, whose company sponsors Division One football, captured a Honda Fit, which the thieves used to track him down.

During the process, he lost a laptop, bag with cash and other valuables.

The businessman only discovered his loss when he returned to the parking bay.

Although he lost his valuables, he should be applauded for investing in modern day tracking systems, which are likely to assist the police, during investigations.

With the nation recording a number of similar cases, it’s high time we embrace modern tracking systems to bring to book such crooks.

Thieves on the loose should never be allowed to continue reaping from where they did not sow.

The Saturday incident is also a wake-up call for people to safeguard their valuables.

In homes and business premises, we can fully utilise the closed circuit television to track thieves.

Motorists should also emulate the Harare businessman, who did his best to safeguard his valuables.