By Mbekezeli Ncube

ALERT residents in Bulawayo’s high-density suburb of Gwabalanda arrested a suspected car battery thief before handing him over to Luveve police who later recovered seven-car batteries from him.

Abel Sibanda was arrested by residents early this week at around 2300 hours after breaking into a car through the window.

Two of Sibanda’s friends, Noah Hikwa and another one only identified as Carrington also of Gwabalanda are still at large.

Bulawayo Provincial spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube could not comment on the incident.

However, a senior police officer based at the Luveve station confirmed Sibanda’s arrest.

“Alert residents arrested the suspect after they found him in a yard and discovered that he had broken a car window at a nearby house,” the police officer who asked not to be named said.

“They then phoned us informing us they had arrested a car breaking suspect and we responded quickly. We already have had so many similar cases of residents reporting their car batteries being stolen. So Sibanda became our prime suspect.

“Thorough interrogations were done and the accused person revealed that he was not committing the crimes alone and openly volunteered to lead the police to his other partners who are at still large.

Seven car batteries were recovered from Sibanda and three have returned back to the owners.

Sibanda has since been taken to court and was remanded in custody for further investigations.

Due to the escalating cases of house and car break-ins in Gwabalanda, the residents have formed watch committees to patrol in the suburb.