Thieves break into Gwanda Prison

IN an incident that has sent tongues wagging, thieves broke into Gwanda Prison on Monday night, stealing cash and cellphones.

Although officials were tight-lipped about the incident, sources who spoke to Southern eye on condition of anonymity said an undisclosed amount of cash and a number of cellphones belonging to inmates were stolen during the break-in.

By the time of going to print prison officials were reportedly still taking stock of what was stolen. The thieves, suspected to be former inmates, broke a window from outside at the front end of the prison, almost 40 metres from the main gate, raising serious security concerns at the prison.

The latest incident comes less than a month after an inmate escaped from the prison, but was later apprehended by members of the public.

It remains a mystery how prison guards could not detect the incident, considering an axe was used to cut the burglar
bars.

The daring thieves allegedly used an axe to cut down the window's burglar bars before getting inside and ransacking the cashier's office where property belonging to inmates is kept.

Cash belonging to the prison was reportedly stolen.

The prison runs a number of income-generating projects that include farming, a restaurant and car wash.

The destroyed window was yet to be repaired by late yesterday afternoon.