Fake Cop Jailed 10 Years for Stealing US$18k Vehicle

 

A 37-year-old Harare man has been sentenced to an effective 10 years in prison after posing as a police officer to steal a vehicle in a brazen act of deception.

The man, who was previously an amnesty beneficiary, was convicted of motor vehicle theft by the Harare Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard that on March 13, 2026, the offender boarded a Nissan Caravan along Simon Mazorodze Road pretending to be an ordinary passenger. During the journey, he befriended the driver and falsely claimed to be a police officer, gaining the trust of those on board.

Upon reaching Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, the accused exploited the trust he had built and misled the person responsible for the keys, claiming he had been sent to buy food. He then drove off with the vehicle.

The theft was quickly discovered after the conductor raised the alarm, prompting the owner to activate a tracking device.

The stolen vehicle was traced to Mazowe Road, leading to the suspect’s arrest at a police roadblock along the Centenary–Harare Road.

The Nissan Caravan, valued at US$18,000, was successfully recovered.

The court noted the calculated nature of the offence, which involved impersonation and abuse of trust, before handing down the custodial sentence.