Police in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province have advised residents to register their houses with them if they intend to travel during this festive period so that the police can constantly monitor the properties to reduce cases of housebreaking during their absence, reported The Sunday News.
Speaking at a Press conference on Thursday, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson in Bulawayo Province Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said residents can register their houses with the police for free. She said:
During the festive season many people will be travelling for holidays leaving their homes without anyone to look after or monitor them, we thus encourage the residents to come forward to the police station and register their houses to be guarded by the police during their absence.
The police will be patrolling at the location with the registered houses checking if there are no signs of a break-in.
The registration and patrolling are free and the residents need to register to curb incidents of theft while they are on vacation.
Assistant Insp Msebele also advised those leaving their homes for the holidays to avoid announcing that they will be away on social media platforms as criminals can view the posts and take advantage of their absence. She said:
Criminals can follow our lives on social media, let us desist from posting our whereabouts and as we go for the holidays, let’s alert our neighbours so that they are aware of our whereabouts and also look out for our homes on our behalf.
However, the offer by the Police may find few takers as some citizens do not trust police officers, not because they are incompetent but because some of them have been involved in criminal activities.
In recent years, serving security officers have been arrested for violent crimes such as armed robbery and burglary.
For instance, Detective Constable Sinikiwe Ndlovu, a female police officer from the CID Stores in Bulawayo was arrested for her alleged involvement in a Nedbank heist.
The burglars broke into a Nedbank branch in Bulawayo, stealing more than US$270 000 and R2 million.
Ndlovu is suspected of assisting the thieves by providing guidance and communication during the crime.
She allegedly received a Honda Fit vehicle as a reward for her involvement.
Ndlovu was charged with defeating and obstructing the course of justice.
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