Police in Bulawayo are investigating two separate cases in which Honda Fit vehicles were stolen in Pumula South and the city centre, adding to a growing list of similar incidents that have left motorists anxious and investigators warning drivers to tighten security.
The latest cases happened within 24 hours of each other. In one incident, a 52-year-old pirate taxi driver from Cowdray Park was robbed of his Honda Fit after he was allegedly lured to Pumula South by a passenger and then confronted by four men at night. In the second case, a 30-year-old man from Sizinda lost his black Honda Fit after leaving it at a car park outside a supermarket in the Bulawayo central business district for only a few minutes.
The two incidents have again put attention on the continued targeting of Honda Fit vehicles in Bulawayo, where police have in recent weeks warned of a rise in thefts involving the same model. According to a recent CITE report, Bulawayo police said old-shape Honda Fit vehicles had become a particular target, with 14 such vehicles reported stolen in June alone.
In the first of the latest incidents, police said the Cowdray Park man was operating as a pirate taxi driver when he was hired by an unknown male passenger at a garage in the city centre. The passenger asked to be taken to Pumula.
The trip appeared ordinary at first. The driver travelled from the city centre to Pumula South and arrived at an unknown address at around 10PM on Sunday. Police said he parked the vehicle at the gate and left the engine running. He then helped the passenger to offload luggage before accompanying him into the house.
When he returned outside, the situation had changed. Police said the driver allegedly saw four unknown men emerging from the darkness. One of them was armed with a knife.
“One of them produced a knife and charged towards him. Sensing danger, he fled from the scene and the accused persons boarded his vehicle and drove away,” said police.
The stolen Honda Fit was valued at US$4 500. By the time the matter was reported, nothing had been recovered.
The case has raised fresh concern about the dangers faced by informal taxi operators, commonly known as pirate taxi drivers, who often carry unknown passengers, sometimes late at night and without the safety systems used by registered transport operators. The details of the Pumula South attack suggest that the driver may have been drawn to a location where other suspects were waiting.
Police have not yet said whether the passenger who hired the driver was part of the group that later took the vehicle. However, the sequence of events is now part of the investigation.
The second incident happened on Monday evening in the Bulawayo city centre. Police said a 30-year-old man from Sizinda parked his black Honda Fit at around 7.30PM at a car park in front of a supermarket. He locked the doors, took the keys and entered the shop.
He was away for about five minutes. When he returned, the vehicle was gone. The car was valued at US$5 000 and, like the vehicle stolen in Pumula South, had not been recovered by the time police issued the report.
The speed of the theft has worried motorists because, in this case, police said the driver had locked the vehicle and taken the keys with him. That detail points to the possibility that thieves may be using methods beyond simply taking advantage of careless drivers who leave cars open or running.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele appealed to anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to report to the nearest police station.
She also urged motorists to be cautious when transporting unknown passengers, especially at night, and warned drivers not to leave vehicles unattended while engines are running.
“Motorists are also encouraged to park their vehicles in secure and well-monitored areas and install tracking devices to enhance security and assist in the recovery of stolen vehicles,” said Insp Msebele.
Her warning follows several similar cases reported in the city in recent weeks. Three weeks before the latest Pumula South and city centre cases, two other Honda Fit vehicles were stolen within hours of each other in Bulawayo. Those thefts happened in the CBD and Bellevue.
In one of those incidents, a 35-year-old Harrisvale resident parked an old-shape white Honda Fit at the corner of Third Avenue and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street at around 1PM. He then entered a nearby supermarket.
Police said all the vehicle’s doors and windows were closed, but not locked.
“The complainant left all the vehicle’s doors and windows closed but not locked. He returned about five minutes later and discovered that the vehicle had been stolen,” said Insp Msebele.
That vehicle was not empty. Inside were a cellphone, a power bank, a Bluetooth speaker, a spare tyre, three jackets, a pair of jeans and US$35 in cash. Police put the total value of the stolen property at about US$5 000. Nothing had been recovered.
The second incident happened at around 7.20PM the same day, when a 25-year-old Bellevue resident parked his red Honda Fit outside a supermarket and went inside to shop.
“He returned about 10 minutes later and found that the vehicle had been stolen,” said Insp Msebele.
Police launched investigations into both cases and again warned motorists not to leave vehicles unsecured or valuables inside parked cars.
“We urge motorists to exercise maximum caution whenever leaving their vehicles unattended. 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 installing vehicle tracking devices and anti-theft security systems,” she said.
The repetition of the same pattern is difficult to ignore. In several of the cases, the drivers had only stepped away briefly. The cars disappeared within five to 10 minutes. Supermarket car parks and busy city spots have featured more than once. In the Pumula South robbery, the theft was more direct and violent, involving a knife and a night-time setup.
The continued targeting of Honda Fit vehicles also comes as police have been dealing with suspected organised theft networks in Bulawayo. In a separate recent case, two Bulawayo men were accused of stealing and stripping five Honda Fit vehicles, suggesting that some stolen cars may be quickly dismantled for parts instead of being kept whole or driven openly.
That possibility is one reason police have repeatedly encouraged owners to install vehicle trackers. Once a car is stripped, recovery becomes much harder. Parts can be moved, sold or hidden more easily than a full vehicle.
The Honda Fit is common on Zimbabwe’s roads because it is relatively affordable, fuel-efficient and widely used by families, private motorists and informal transport operators. That popularity may also make it attractive to thieves because there is demand for both the vehicles and spare parts.
For owners, however, the loss is often more than the market value of the vehicle.
One Bulawayo motorist, Hloniphani Ncube, is still searching for his Honda Fit, which was stolen in a separate recent incident. He said he had parked outside a local bar and expected to be away for a short time.
“I had only been inside the bar for about 30 minutes. When I came back, the car was gone. I was shocked because everything happened so fast. I immediately rushed to Mzilikazi Police Station to report the theft,” he said.
Ncube said the stolen vehicle had been central to his family’s daily life.
“That car was our only means of transport. I used it every day to take my children to school, run family errands and get around the city. Since it was stolen, life has become very difficult. We now have to rely on public transport and it has affected our daily routine,” said Ncube.
His experience reflects what many vehicle owners face after such thefts. A car may be valued at US$4 500 or US$5 000 in a police report, but for many households it is also a tool for work, school runs, family emergencies and day-to-day survival. When it disappears, the financial blow is immediate, but the disruption continues long after the police report is filed.
Bulawayo has also seen wider concerns around vehicle-related crimes over the past year. Past reports have described incidents in which thieves targeted parked vehicles, while police have repeatedly warned drivers against leaving cars unattended with engines running. In one earlier city centre case, a Honda Fit was stolen after the owner left it running while looking for change, highlighting how quickly opportunistic thieves can act.
The latest Pumula South robbery, however, shows that not all cases are simple thefts from car parks. It involved an alleged attack and a possible ambush. That makes the risk sharper for drivers who pick up unknown passengers, particularly at night.
For pirate taxi drivers, the danger is complicated by the nature of the work. Many operate in high-pressure conditions, looking for fares wherever they can find them. A trip from the city centre to a suburb may appear routine. But once a driver is taken to an unfamiliar address in darkness, without backup or a clear record of the passenger, the risk rises.
Police have not announced any arrests in the latest two cases. They have also not said whether the Pumula South robbery and the supermarket theft are connected. Still, the timing and repeated targeting of the same car model have intensified concern.
Inspector Msebele’s advice to motorists has remained consistent: lock vehicles, close windows, avoid leaving valuables inside, park in secure and monitored areas, install trackers and be careful when dealing with unknown passengers.
The advice may sound simple, but recent cases show that even short stops can be costly. In the city centre case, the owner was gone for about five minutes. In the earlier Harrisvale case, the complainant had also been away for about five minutes. In Bellevue, the owner returned after around 10 minutes. In each case, the vehicle had already vanished.
Police are now relying on public help to trace the stolen cars and identify the suspects. Anyone with information has been urged to report to the nearest police station. For now, the latest cases leave Bulawayo motorists facing a familiar warning: thieves are watching, they are moving quickly, and Honda Fit owners remain among their main targets.