Thief jumps from elevator to jail

HARARE - A man who tucked himself in an elevator at an upmarket departmental store with the intention of robbing it after staff had left for home will be spending his nights in a prison cell for the next 22 months.

Simon Sikota, a 23-year-old Harare man entered Greatermans in Harare just as the store was about to close for the night and stayed in the elevator as all staff packed for home and store manager Jeffery Mhondo prepared to lock doors.

Harare magistrate Anita Tshuma heard that Sikota, who had remained in the elevator until the shop was closed and all workers had left, walked out at around 1 am and began packing goods into plastic bags that he took to the basement.

An alarm sold him off. A security reaction team inspected the store and discovered no sign of forced entry. On further searching the store, the team spotted Sikota hiding among the clothes on the ground.

He had already stashed goods worth $676 neatly packed in plastic bags and hid in the basement when he was nabbed.

Magistrate Tshuma yesterday initially sentenced Sikota to 36 months in prison but suspended 10 months on condition of good behaviour for the next five years.