• By Marx Itamalo

THE police in Ohangwena is warning vehicle owners to employ strict protective measures in order to protect their vehicles after three cars were stolen from the region recently. The vehicles were stolen from Omafo, Eenhana and Onhuno areas respectively.

According to the police, two of the vehicles are sedans popularly known as ‘dankie Botswana’ while the other one is Toyota pick – up. They are believed to have been driven into Angola. Ohangwena police spokesperson warrant officer Andreas Nghiyolwa said that all vehicles where pushed a distance from the houses of the owners where they have been parked during the night before the alleged thieves drove them away.

“We have recorded three incidents of vehicle thefts one was on a Friday and two others the next day in the region. This is a high number of vehicles to be lost in a single weekend and it shows that thieves are getting serious and smart about this particular crime,” Nghiyolwa said. He urged members of the public to employ measure that will pro- tect their vehicles. He stressed that many vehicle owners apart from locking the doors of their cars, do not use locking devices that ensure that a car cannot be stolen and driven easily.

“Investigations have found out that all these cars were not locked with the devices which lock the steering wheel and even the gear-boxes of vehicles. These devices are readily available in many car parts shops and people buy them to protect their vehicles.
If you compare the cost of any of these devices and the value of one’s vehicle you can immediately realize that the benefits of buying that device outweighs of not having one. Please I want to implore vehicle owners to consider buying these devices,” he noted.

Meanwhile, one owner of one of the stolen vehicles informed this publication that his car was stolen by three unidentified when he had gone to his cattle post. He suspects some people followed his movements.

“We are only five in the house and the very day I left for the cattle post it is when the car was stolen. My wife and three children were in the house when the car was pushed out of the yard and driven away. None of them heard anything,” the teacher who pleaded for anonymity stated. According to him, he did not consider buying a locking device as he thought the vehicle was safe in the yard. He noted he would buy a locking device for his other vehicle. He nonetheless blamed the Ohangwena police of being lethargic when it comes to pursuing stolen vehicles that are often suspected of being driven inside Angola where there appear to be a lucrative market for stolen Namibian vehicles.

Nghiyolwa nonetheless opposed this view saying the police always try their best in pursuing stolen vehicles noting that the regional police always involve their Angolan counterparts when a vehicle is stolen and suspected to have been driven into Angola.