Mutare Car Thief Caught Using Stolen Vehicle as Pirate Taxi on Same Day
A 28-year-old man from Honde Valley, Manicaland, was arrested on the same day he stole a parked car in Mutare, after he was found using it as a pirate taxi.
Philip Mandeya of Mandeya Two Village under Chief Mutasa was nabbed behind the wheel of a Toyota Ipsum at a bus stop near Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital, barely hours after the theft.
Manicaland provincial police acting spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the arrest, which took place in broad daylight with passengers on board.
Car Taken from Petrol Station After Owner Forgot to Lock Doors
According to police, the vehicle was stolen from PetroTrade service station around 6am on June 22.
The owner, 28-year-old Last Chauya of Natview, Mutare, had parked his Toyota Ipsum and left the doors unlocked, assuming the wound-up windows were enough security.
When he returned around 5pm, the car was missing and none of his colleagues had any knowledge of its whereabouts.
Owner Spots Vehicle in Use, Alerts Police Before Boarding
Desperate to find his car, Chauya enlisted the help of a Good Samaritan to drive around the city. While travelling along the Mutare-Harare Highway, he spotted his car flashing hazard lights and loading passengers at a bus stop.
In a clever move, Chauya approached the vehicle pretending to be a passenger but first alerted two nearby police officers – Sergeant Mtunzi and Constable Kausiyo from ZRP Changadzi Support Unit.
Mandeya was immediately arrested and taken to Mutare Central Police Station. The car, worth US$3,000, was successfully recovered.
Suspect Claims He Used Own Keys to Start Vehicle
During questioning, Mandeya told police that he used his own keys to start the vehicle and drive off.
Investigations are ongoing to determine how this was possible.
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