Man suspected of faking a robbery to steal a car

A Beitbridge man has been arrested after he staged a robbery of a car he had rented to take to ‘his lobola ceremony’. The car dealer he used shared their statement about what happened.

On Friday, November 1, 2024, H-Metro reported an alleged robbery involving Douglas Chinoona. The report alleged that Chinoona was robbed of a Toyota Hilux and $2,400, which he allegedly intended for paying lobola (bride price). However, further research shows that there is a more complex story behind this incident.

Vehicle rental details and initial report

Good 2 Go Car Rental shared that they had rented the Toyota Hilux to Chinoona on Sunday, October 27, 2024. The next day, Chinoona contacted the car rental company to report that the vehicle had been stolen from a lodge in Mabelreign. He reported the alleged robbery to Mabelreign police station, claiming that both the car and $2,400 intended for lobola were taken.

Following the report, the Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS) started an investigation. Their findings suggested a fabricated story rather than a real robbery. According to VTS investigators, Chinoona allegedly conspired with an accomplice to illegally transport the Toyota Hilux to Lusaka, Zambia, where they planned to sell the vehicle. Google adds Shona and 14 new African languages to Voice Search, Gboard and Translate

Man fakes robbery — Man arrested for faking a robbery to steal a car from a rental company – Image Source@X

This revelation significantly changed the direction of the investigation and exposed Chinoona’s deception, which he allegedly tried to use as a front for Good 2 Go Car Rental and the police.

Contrary to his claims, Chinoona reportedly did not possess the $2,400 for lobola, nor did he actually intend to use the money for that purpose. The money was in fact part of an elaborate scheme to deceive both the car rental company and the police. According to authorities, this tactic was intended to distract from his real intentions: the theft and subsequent sale of the vehicle across the border. Kuwadzana 7-combi driver in exit accident charged with culpable homicide

Legal actions and consequences

Following these findings, Douglas Chinoona was arrested and is currently in police custody. He faces multiple charges, including car theft and providing false information to police.