21 Aug 2018

Police in Francistown have expressed concern over the prevalent use of Honda Fit car in criminal activities.

Speaking at a kgotla meeting in Shashe Bridge recently addressed by District No. 1 Officer Commanding Senior Superintendent Nkwebi Chilisa, CID District Officer Superintendent Thomas Letebele warned the community of Shashe Bridge to be wary of Honda Fit cars, which had been used to ferry stolen goods.

Supt. Letebele revealed that they had experienced a high rate of theft in their policing area and it had come to their attention that Honda Fit cars had been used by criminals to ferry different stolen commodities.

He explained that they had received a high rate of Honda Fit cars stolen from homes and had not been recovered.

“A small car like Honda Fit is capable of carrying a whole cow carcass and it is a very powerful car since it also has great speed,” he said

Supt. Letebele stated that currently, they had only made one arrest of a suspect they intercepted carrying stolen meat in Palapye headed to the south of the country.

However, they had not made any other arrests because they were still trying to construct the basis of such criminal activities, since they were not yet aware where all the goods were taken to.

He advised residents to be vigilant and be in the lookout for any strange Honda Fit cars in their area, and advised them to note down registration numbers of such cars before reporting to the police. 

Furthermore, he said suspects mostly made trips at odd hours and that alone should raise alarm to residents and should report such as soon as they could.

On other issues, Senior Supt. Chilisa encouraged residents to take care of their livestock, noting that their proper management was paramount to guard against livestock theft, especially cattle, which had been a main concern in his policing area.

He also advised farmers to make sure their cattle were herded at all times because it had come to their attention that those stolen were unattended to.

Senior Supt Chilisa said farmers should also desist from hiring illegal immigrants, saying since they were not documented legally, there were chances that they could sell cattle without the owner’s knowledge and disappear.  

Further, he advised farmers to consider who they hired to avoid unnecessary livestock theft. ENDS