Shoplifting on the rise

By Lance Guma
17 September 2005

A growing number of people are turning to shoplifting as a means of putting food on the table as the country’s economic crisis plunges from one low to another. A day spent in the suspects waiting area of Bulawayo Central Police station by journalist Lionel Saungweme, who had gone to report a theft, left him with no doubt police are having to deal with more shoplifting cases than any other crime.

The surprising statistic from his experience is that there are more female shoplifters per hour than men. While his conclusions are not scientific they remain an indicator of the growing suffering millions of families are having to endure because of poor governance and the accompanying economic crisis.

A female sergeant identified only as Madzima, who carries out the vetting of women suspects, confirmed to Saungweme that they processed more female shoplifters than men. She blames the emergence of a gang shoplifter culture nicknamed ‘omaro-bani’. This is where organized gangs of women go into a shop at the same time and in large numbers, to put groceries under their dresses. Cooking oil is a popular target as it is a fast seller in the flea markets. Since shops employ only one or two guards it becomes difficult to monitor a large number of shoplifters.

Saungweme took the time to interview shoplifters in the waiting area and the stories of starvation they told were heart breaking. A woman caught with a container of butter under her skirt told of how she wanted to surprise her children who last tasted butter years ago. Another young mother who had been arrested for stealing infant cereal, soap and sanitary pads said given her situation, prison is actually a more comfortable alternative.