Businessman’s house cleaned out

News
AN UNKNOWN gang raided a house owned by a Bulawayo businessmen in the plush Fortunes Gate suburb in broad daylight and cleaned it of all property including used soap and towel.

AN UNKNOWN gang raided a house owned by a Bulawayo businessmen in the plush Fortunes Gate suburb in broad daylight and cleaned it of all property including used soap and towel.

NQOBILE BHEBHE CHIEF REPORTER

The businessman is a neighbour to a government minister whose house is guarded 24 hours a day by the police.

Stolen property consisted of all household items, including exclusive artefacts valued at more than $20 000.

The theft was only discovered last week on Thursday and a report was made at Hillside Police Station under case number 2068019.

The owner of the property who wanted to remain anonymous, told Southern Eye yesterday that he almost collapsed when he discovered the theft.

He said he had hired a team of South African private investigators to deal with the theft.

“I am really saddened by the theft. I bought the property in 2002 and I have no clue as to who could be behind all this and the motive,” he said.

“They could have been monitoring my movements to the property as I am hardly at home.

“I discovered the theft last Thursday when I was taking my gardener to the property.

“The gate padlocks were tampered with. All household items were stolen, including used bath soaps and towels.

“The artefacts I used to collect when I was out of the country are all gone.

“The artifices are so exclusive such that it would be difficult for the thieves to sell them openly.”

Stolen goods include stoves, refrigerators, beds, plasma televisions sets, sofas, blankets and utensils.

He said no one was staying at the house at the time of the burglary.

Acting Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube was not available for comment as he was said to be in meetings.

Southern Eye visited the double storey property yesterday and rooms on all floors were empty and the alarm system had been tempered with.

The owner said his neighbours’ security guards told him that three vehicles, including a pick-up truck, were spotted moving property from his house early last week.

“They said they thought I was moving out and never suspected it could be thieves,” he said.

He said police took long to take a statement from him and by yesterday afternoon they were yet to scour for any fingerprints.

“After the police statement, they are still to take fingerprints. But they have played their part,” the businessman said.

“I have since roped in private detectives from South Africa and am expecting them today (yesterday).”

He said on Friday, a stranger showed up at the house saying he wanted to view the property “since it’s up for sale”.

The man said he was not going to sell his property.