Namibian, Zambian police work together to fight crime

Zambezi regional police commander commissioner Andreas Shilelo. Photo: Lugeretzia Kooper

Zambezi regional police commander Andreas Shilelo says the days of thieves making a living from stolen goods are numbered, as a result of the collaborative efforts of the Namibian and Zambian police.

Over the years, residents of the Zambezi region have lost numerous valuable goods stolen during house break-ins, at the hands of both locals and Zambians alike.

These stolen goods are taken to Zambia to be sold for good.

Speaking to The Namibian on Thursday, Shilelo said just last weekend they reported on 17 housebreak-ins at various residential and business properties.

He said the culprits have become used to earning a living from stealing.

“However, with our collaborative efforts with our Zambian counterparts, we are making breakthroughs whereby we recover the goods and arrest the suspects. Just last week, Zambian nationals were arrested in Zambia with items stolen in Namibia and they were repatriated. Upon interrogation, these three Zambians revealed that they were also responsible for breaking into one of the lodges and stealing some items.

“We have also traced some of the items stolen from the Kwando area in Zambia and we are positive about recovering them soon. We are really making progress through these collaborative efforts, though we still need to do more to completely stop housebreak-in incidents,” he said.

Shilelo further said their collaborative efforts with the Zambian police also extend to stock theft cases in the region, as through them many stolen cattle are recovered and repatriated.

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