Police in Bulawayo have warned motorists to take extra precautions after a sharp rise in the theft of old-shape Honda Fit vehicles, with 14 reported stolen in June alone.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said the model had become a preferred target for thieves because of weaknesses in its locking and ignition system.
“We have a challenge in Bulawayo of vehicle theft of Honda Fit old shape. I don’t know how this vehicle was manufactured, but it uses the same key for all cars; even with a spoon, screwdriver, you can easily start the car,” she said.
Inspector Msebele said recovered vehicles were often extensively damaged, stripped of parts and sometimes used to commit other crimes.
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“In instances where police recover the vehicle, it would be badly damaged, without battery and people use the vehicle to commit crime,” she said.
She urged owners to replace the ignition and door locking systems with more secure alternatives.
“We are urging owners of this vehicle to change the whole ignition set, even the door. There are engineers in the city who are now fixing that so that you save your car,” she said.
Police also advised motorists to park in secure, guarded car parks or leave someone watching the vehicle while they are away.
“Another thing, when you go inside a supermarket, ensure that you leave someone guarding it or park closer to an airtime vendor or TTI marshal because this car is on target,” Inspector Msebele said.
The warning comes after two Honda Fits were stolen on 11 July.
In the first incident, a 35-year-old Harrisvale man parked his white old-shape Honda Fit at the corner of Third Avenue and J.M. Nkomo Street at about 1pm before entering a supermarket.
Inspector Msebele said he left the vehicle with the doors and windows closed but unlocked. When he returned about five minutes later, it was gone.
Items stolen with the vehicle included a Samsung A05S mobile phone, a power bank, a Bluetooth speaker, a spare tyre, three jackets, a pair of jeans and US$35 in cash.
“The stolen value is US$5,000 and nothing was recovered,” she said.
In a separate case later that day, at about 7:20pm, a 25-year-old man from Bellevue parked his Honda Fit outside a supermarket before going inside.
“He left the vehicle, got inside the supermarket and came out after about 10 minutes where he discovered his motor vehicle was stolen,” Inspector Msebele said.
Police urged motorists to lock their vehicles, avoid leaving valuables inside and install tracking devices or additional anti-theft security systems.
“Vehicle owners are strongly advised to always lock all doors and close all windows before leaving their vehicles, never leave valuable property inside parked vehicles and consider vehicle tracking devices and anti-theft security systems,” Inspector Msebele said.
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