Crimes, especially non-violent crimes, are likely to increase during the winter months as criminals take advantage of the load shedding and longer and darker nights. Load shedding is likely to affect alarm The increased cost of living also increases the risk of connivance at sites that manufacture or store goods that are easy to resell on the black market (fuel, batteries, stock, metal/iron parts, ore etc).

Load shedding continues to push up prices thus increasing the cost of living. Internal theft and connivance likely to increase as individuals attempt to supplement incomes. Violent property crimes likely to remain prevalent at business/industrial sites, consider adding guards on-site during the holidays and on weekends.

The good news is that the total number of reported break-ins and theft incidents fell in February. We have observed an increase in incidents of collusive theft involving employees. For supermarkets, we have several cases of money changers outside offering to provide RTGS in return for USD cash.

The number of incidents for our customers remains steady on last month. This despite the more widely reported increase in crime incidents across the country. There are more cases of violence, with an increasing number of guards attacked in the commercial and industrial sectors.

With the discontinuation of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits and a possible increase in xenophobia in South Africa this year, crime may increase in Zimbabwe as returning residents may resort to criminal activity to sustain themselves locally.

In September 2022, crime increased by 14% with armed robberies (incidents in which firearms were used) increasing by double. Daylight robberies were increasingly reported in the past two months. Between September and October 2022, police managed to arrest at least 20-armed robbery suspects who were involved in significant armed robberies nationwide.