Police in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, have arrested a group of children and teenagers accused of carrying out a string of burglaries across city suburbs, with the alleged crime spree involving property valued at more than US$10,000.
The suspects, aged between 12 and 16, were linked to a wave of housebreaking incidents that began in October 2025 and left residents of Nkulumane and Tshabalala shaken. The arrests followed a months-long investigation into a surge of unlawful entries reported in the two neighbourhoods.
On 8 January 2026, the Zimbabwe Republic Police said they were investigating 20 separate cases of unlawful entry and theft committed between 15 October and 30 December 2025. Stolen goods included cash and household items valued at US$8,948, ZAR 13,400 and P2,350. Police said ten juveniles had assisted in the recovery of stolen items, including four mobile phones and power banks.
A separate report by the state broadcaster ZBC indicated that 14 juveniles aged 11 to 17 were ultimately taken into custody, and that the total value of the thefts exceeded US$10,000.
Detective Inspector Stanley Muya, Officer-in-Charge at CID Nkulumane, said a noticeable increase in break-ins prompted the operation. “There was an increase in house break-ins in Tshabalala and Nkulumane from the month of October to January. On January 4, we apprehended four juveniles and they led to the arrest of 10 more juveniles. They stole valuables worth over US$10,000,” he said.
News of the arrests has stirred distress in the community, especially given the ages of those involved. One resident lamented the “wasted potential” of the youths, while a parent of one of the suspects expressed shock, saying they had no knowledge of their children’s alleged involvement.
Provincial Police Spokesperson, Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, urged parents to closely monitor their children’s activities and warned residents to take greater precautions to secure their homes and avoid keeping large sums of cash on their premises.
The juveniles remain in custody as legal proceedings begin.