The police in Thohoyandou have complimented the justice department after a 23-year-old Zimbabwean national was sentenced to 75 years in prison. The man was recently convicted in the Sibasa regional court on eight counts of housebreaking.

Midus Masavangeni allegedly terrorized communities around Thohoyandou Unit D, Thohoyandou block G as well as Miluwani Unit C. The man had expensive taste in household appliances and he specifically stole plasma television sets, laptops, money and cell phones. His thieving trail started around November 2010 until his arrest in 2012.

The court heard that the convict and his other accomplices targeted houses with poor security facilities, where they would steal the goods which were later transported to their home country, Zimbabwe. Through information from community members as well as scientific investigation expertise, police worked tirelessly and finally located the convict; he was cornered and arrested at Maniini just outside Thohoyandou.

The Thohoyandou police station management also applauded the house-breaking task team, which worked around the clock to crack the cases. "We are proud of what our police have done in arresting this most wanted criminal and we further encourage others to do the same in their line of responsibility," said Major Mashudu Malelo, Thohoyandou police spokesperson.

Mirror briefly spoke to the convict before he was whisked away to prison. During the brief interview, he made a plea to those who might be tempted to be criminals to refrain from doing it, saying that crime doesn't pay. He also made a plea to his colleagues who are still on the run to come forward and hand themselves over to the police as they are wasting their time, because they will not be able to evade the police forever.