ZVISHAVANE – Six alleged copper cable thieves are behind bars in Zvishavane after a dramatic high-speed chase with police that ended in a crash in the dead of the night.

Tatenda Mushonga, 20, Alfred Moyo, 24, Conwell Shumba, 24, Inos Joy Mika, 24, Blessmore Banda, 25, and Justice Mudani [age not given], all residents of Nil township in the mining town, appeared before a Gweru regional magistrate this week charged with theft of cables worth more than US$28,000.

They were remanded in custody to June 11.

The alleged syndicate was linked to a Funcargo Toyota vehicle that drove around without registration tags, which was involved in an accident while trying to evade a police checkpoint at night, leading to a high-speed pursuit.

Police had intensified patrols and roadblocks following an increase in copper cable theft, which was disrupting communication networks and mining activities in the town.

Midlands police spokesperson Emmanuel Mahoko said: “Police in Zvishavane have arrested six suspects for theft of copper cables valued at US$28,047.38 stolen around the mining town, thereby disturbing communication lines as well as stalling operational equipment mines.”

“The circumstances are that on the 18th day of May 2021 police officers carried out an operation specifically focusing on the theft of copper cables following a sharp increase in cases in the mining town.

“They carried out patrols and mounted road blocks around Zvishavane town. Whilst one team was at a roadblock along Zvishavane Rutenga road they noticed a suspicious Toyota Funcargo which had no number plates approaching,” Mahoko said.

The driver, he said, was signaled to stop but sped off past the roadblock, prompting the patrol team to give chase.

“The driver was involved in an accident after he failed to negotiate a curve along a road leading to Nil Township in Zvishavane and abandoned the motor vehicle and fled in the darkness on foot,” Mahoko added, adding they were able to extract credible intelligence from the suspects that might lead to more arrests.

“The suspects assisted the police with investigations and managed to recover copper cables measuring a total length of 96.8 metres valued at US$394.21. There is a high possibility of detecting more syndicates involved in copper theft.”