Police concerned as motor vehicle theft cases increase in Botswana
Motor vehicle theft has become an increasingly alarming issue in Botswana, with more and more car owners falling victim to criminals targeting their vehicles.
The Botswana Police Service (BPS) has revealed that 26 vehicles have been stolen countrywide from January to March 2025.
In an interview with The Midweek Sun, Botswana Police Service Public Relations Officer, Selinah Omphile said most of the vehicles are stolen whilst parked at both residential and business premises, as well as at shopping malls.
She said the method typically used by criminals to steal vehicles is to damage the locking system.
Omphile noted that even with the rise in usage of modern technology such as GPS tracking and immobilisers, they still advise motor vehicle owners to install practical security devices.
Botswana Police Service has taken a decision to address the growing problem of vehicle theft through varied strategies, police operations, visibility and surveillance in crime prone areas, as well as public education on preventative measures, border patrol and spontaneous sharing of information with neighbouring countries.
Omphile said that out of 87 stolen vehicles in 2024, 32 were intercepted and recovered at different places through various police operations. In June 2024, and through police operations, 11 motor vehicles stolen in South Africa were intercepted.
“In 2024 seven convictions were registered while some cases are still before the courts,” Omphile said. She urged the public to remain vigilant, also encouraging car owners to take extra precautions to protect their property.
Four suspects, including a mechanic from Tanzania, a South African cab driver, and a Botswana police officer, were recently granted bail by Nata Principal Magistrate Bakang Gabaitsewe, following their arrest for possession of a suspected stolen vehicle.
The group, comprising Tumisang Otsetswe (36) of Block 7, Francistown, Richard Sylvester Bukwimba (46), a mechanic from Tanzania, 24-year-old South African cab driver, Percia Kganye Masemola, and 39-year-old Masego Brenda Mosimane, a police officer stationed in Kasane, were apprehended in connection with a Toyota Fortuner believed to have been stolen.
The two foreign nationals were each granted P8 000 cash bail, while Otsetswe and Mosimane, the locals, were ordered to bind themselves with P2 000 each and provide sureties. Both were also instructed to report to a nearby police station once a month as part of their bail conditions.
The case is ongoing as authorities continue their investigation into the origins of the suspected stolen vehicle.
According to the Theft of Motor Vehicle Act of 1995, any person who steals a motor vehicle, or receives a motor vehicle knowing or having reason to believe it to be a stolen vehicle, shall be guilty of an offence and, notwithstanding the provisions of any other written law, shall be liable for a first offence to imprisonment for not less than five years or more than 10 years without the option of a fine, and for a second or subsequent offence to imprisonment for not less than seven years or more than 14 years without the option of a fine.