In an audacious crime committed at the very heart of law enforcement, a man in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, allegedly stole a police officer’s car right from the parking lot of Bulawayo Central Police Station—and later managed to briefly escape custody after his arrest.
The incident unfolded on October 31, 2025, when Constable Mashora parked his Honda Fit outside the station before reporting for duty. According to prosecutors, later that evening the suspect approached the vehicle, used an unknown tool to unlock it, start the engine, and drive off—taking with him the officer’s personal items, including clothes and a satchel.
When the officer finished his shift, the car was gone. He reported the theft and began his own search the following day, hiring another vehicle to track it down. Detectives from the Vehicle Theft Squad later identified 27-year-old Talent Mpofu, of Entumbane, as the suspect. Mpofu was arrested at his home and led police to a nearby service station near Western Commonage Police Station, where the stolen Honda Fit had been abandoned.
However, the case took another twist when Mpofu was brought back to Bulawayo Central Police Station. Despite being handcuffed, he allegedly escaped from the police courtyard, ran to his home, and—with the help of his wife and a neighbour—had the cuffs removed. Detectives later found him hiding under a bed.
Constable Mashora testified in court that his recovered vehicle had been fitted with different number plates, and that Mpofu was wearing the officer’s T-shirt and sandals when arrested.
Mpofu appeared before a regional magistrate on November 7, 2025, where he was remanded in custody. He reportedly told the court he committed the theft out of financial desperation as the case continues.
