Cases of cross border crime, commonly carried out in the form of house breakings and armed robberies, are said to be on the increase along the Matsiloje border.
Goods are said to be stolen from Francistown and transported across the border.
The Zimbabwe police are said to have been networking with the Botswana police to solve this particular issue.
It is reported that just last week, the Francistown police took busloads of Francistown residents who had been robbed in the past month to a place called Mphoeng, where the recovered stolen goods from across the border with the help of the Zimbabwe Republic Police were put on display.
The residents were apparently expected to search and declare what was theirs.
The buses were allegedly supplied by the Botswana police.
Most of the recovered goods were reported to have been electronic equipment but a number of those present were apparently unable to recover some of their stolen goods.
According to head of CID in Francistown, Gagoitsewe Seisa, said roughly, there were about 30 reported cases of break-ins in Francistown between the month of June and July.
He revealed that currently they haven’t received any reports of armed robbery within the city.
Seisa though was reluctant to take a position on the issue of cross border theft.
”Such cases might exist, but personally I haven’t arrested anyone to serve as proof that it is a common occurrence,” he said, adding, “But what I can say though is that we have an Interpol office, so there is obviously networking between our police forces and those outside the country.”
