Police say they are worried about the increasing number of theft cases that are taking place at Gaborone Sun International Hotel where lodgers’ belongings are targeted by what appears to be a criminal syndicate.
In the latest incident, cash amounting to P55 000 was stolen from a lodger while he was out of the hotel.
Staff members, believed to be part of the criminal syndicate, are at the center of police investigations.
Information passed to Telegraph suggests that some staff members, who have formed a criminal syndicate, operate within the hotel, targeting lodgers who are believed to be carrying huge amounts of money as well expensive goods.
It is understood that sometime the CCV TV camera footage is erased.
Detective Assistant Superintendent, Justice Monyere, of Gaborone Central Police station, said, “We are worried about the increasing number of theft incidents that occur at the hotel.”
He said since the beginning of this year, they have so far recorded about two theft incidents in which no suspects were arrested while in the past year, cases of theft were recorded but not resolved.
He said in the first incident, a lap top belonging to an American national was stolen while, in the second incident, cash amounting to P55 000 was stolen from a room.
He said the lodger apparently won the cash and kept it in the safe inside his room but when he returned to the hotel room from his business of the day, he realized his cash had been stolen and went to report the case to the police.
Monyere said although the investigations are still in early stages, they have discovered that some staff members temper with the hotel system which eventually makes it difficult to trace how many people have used the access card.
When contacted for comment, the General Manager of the Gaborone Sun, Derick Van Der Nest, could only say, “Those are rare incidents.”
