A 20-year-old shop assistant appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing unlawful entry into premises charges after allegedly using a duplicate key to steal lithium batteries, television sets and sound equipment worth US$6 145 from his employer’s shop at Gulf Complex.
Takudzwa Revai is accused of breaking into the shop after working hours and stealing various electronic items, some of which were later recovered in Harare and Mutare following his arrest.
The complainant is Trust Manyaya (35), the owner of the shop where Revai was employed as a sales assistant.
The State alleges that on April 17, 2026, at around 5pm, the complainant and the accused knocked off duty together, after which Manyaya secured the premises by locking the shop.
At approximately 7pm, Revai allegedly returned to Gulf Complex driving a Honda Fit Shuttle registration number AFZ 1704 and requested access into the complex from a security officer, Charles Nyandoro, who granted entry as he recognised him as an employee.
Prosecutors told the court that Revai then used a duplicate key to unlock the shop and gained entry.
While inside, he allegedly stole four 24-volt lithium batteries, four 50-inch television sets, one GR77 Nest speaker, two Vision amplifiers, two 12-volt lithium batteries, six 32-inch television sets, two 2kVA inverters, two Must generators, a sound bar and seven 5-in-1 home theatre systems before loading the goods into a vehicle.
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The theft was discovered on April 20 at around 8am when Manyaya arrived to open the shop for business.
Upon making enquiries, the security officer informed him that Revai had requested entry into the complex after working hours two days earlier, prompting the complainant to file a police report at ZRP Kopje.
Detectives tracked down and arrested Revai in Mutare on April 22.
Police recovered a sound bar, a Nest speaker, a 50-inch television set and a power generator in Dangamvura, Mutare after the accused allegedly led investigators to the location.
The following day, Revai allegedly led detectives to further recoveries in Harare, including three 43-inch television sets, three 32-inch Samsung televisions, three 24-volt lithium batteries and two 12-volt 100AH batteries from a suspect identified as Shingirai Dahwa.
All recovered items were positively identified by the complainant and were seized under seizure form number 0167825-26 for use as court exhibits.
The total value of the stolen property is US$6 145.
The matter is pending before the court.
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