MOURNERS visiting cemeteries for burials have to be extra
vigilant to avoid double grief as thieves are now targeting funeral-goers by
stealing from their parked cars while attending their loved ones’ final
farewell.
The warning comes after two men from North End were on
Monday afternoon brutally assaulted by a mob of angry mourners after they
caught them red-handed stealing from their cars while they were attending a
relative’s burial service at Athlone Extension Cemetery.
The unidentified thieves who were apprehended before they
could make good their escape had stolen purses, cellphones and groceries from
the mourners’ parked cars.
Investigations by B-Metro after the incident revealed that
there was a drastic increase in burglaries at city cemeteries where thieves
were wreaking havoc stealing items from parked cars.
Bulawayo City Council (BCC) recently raised concern at the
increasing crime at cemeteries during burials, with thieves said to be
targeting parked vehicles.
Speaking during a council meeting, Ward 7 councillor
Shadreck Sibanda said he had noted an increase in theft during burials.
“I have noted that there has been an increase in theft from
cars, especially at cemeteries. I want to know if the chair has heard those
issues and what can be done to stop such cases,” said Clr Sibanda.
Ward 9 councillor Donaldson Mabutho supported him while
arguing that there was a need by the local authority to deploy council security
officers to guard mourners’ cars at cemeteries.
A North End resident Elton Mashamba expressed dismay that
such things could happen before describing thieves who steal from grieving
families as the “lowest of the low people”.
“These thieves are really heartless as they have no respect
for the dead and their relatives. After being caught these lowest of the low
people should be severely punished. Just imagine they are stealing from people
who are already under sad emotional circumstances.
“I think security should also be tight at these cemeteries
whereby municipal security officers will be watching for suspicious people,”
suggested Mashamba.
A victim, Agnes Ndlovu (52), from Sauerstown said she lost
cash, two cellphones, door keys to her house and bank debit cards which were in
her purse which was stolen from her car last month while burying a family
member at Athlone Cemetery.
“It’s so hard. Last month thieves broke into my car while
attending the burial service of a relative at Athlone Extension and disappeared
with my purse containing cash amounting to US$80, two cellphones, door keys to
my house, bank debit cards and other essentials which were inside,” she said.
Nicole Mhlanga from Mzilikazi suburb said thefts at city
cemeteries were now causing people to feel too insecure to mourn in peace.
“A cemetery is a sacred place where people should feel
protected but these cruel thieves who are breaking into mourners’ cars are
discounting the serene atmosphere which is supposed to be enjoyed at these
final resting places,” she said.
A Bulawayo City Council security officer who preferred
anonymity citing bureaucracy confirmed that a number of mourners had contacted
him and his colleagues in relation to anti-social behaviour at the Athlone
Cemetery.
“Every time we conduct our routine checks we notice that
mourners, many of them being women, leave their purses in their cars. In most
cases people don’t lock their cars, so purses are an easy grab. Mourners always
think no one is going to steal since it’s a cemetery.
“We always advise them to take their purses with them. This
is because while everyone is occupied, thieves exploit the opportunity and
break into parked cars.
“Although it is our duty as municipal security officers to
take the safety and security of cemeteries very seriously, the problem is that
during normal business hours cemeteries are open to the public and that’s why
it is also difficult to apprehend these criminals,” said the security officer.
The security officer, however, insisted that the problem
could be easily avoided if people attending burials locked their vehicles. B
Metro
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