GWERU – A two-month-old baby was kidnapped in the Gweru city centre on Tuesday, police said.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said the infant was taken from the veranda of Edgars Stores, where she had been left momentarily in the care of her six-year-old sister while their mother, Faith Jakaza, 26, stepped away to buy bananas from a nearby vendor.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the mother had just finished breastfeeding and left the baby on the lap of her elder daughter. When she returned a few minutes later, the child had been snatched,” Mahoko said.
Jakaza sounded the alarm and with the help of well-wishers searched the surrounding streets, but the baby was nowhere to be found.
Police have since opened investigations and are appealing for information that could help identify the suspect or recover the infant.
“We urge mothers and guardians to ensure that babies and young children are constantly monitored to avoid such unfortunate incidents,” Mahoko said, urging anyone with information to contact their nearest police station.
The case mirrors another child abduction reported in Gweru in March 2024 when a 26-year-old woman, Loraine Hungwe, lost her two-year-old daughter after boarding a vehicle outside Gweru Provincial Hospital.
The Toyota Aqua, with three women onboard and a male driver, diverted from the intended route and sped off with her child while Hungwe had been asked to briefly step out to assist another passenger.
Police say both incidents underline the need for heightened vigilance among parents and guardians, particularly when moving with infants and young children in busy public spaces.
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