17-Year-Old Nabbed for Alleged String of House Break-ins in Zomba
Published on July 17, 2026 at 10:31 AM by Edgar Naitha
A 17-year-old boy, identified as Cosmas Phiri, has been arrested by officers from Chinamwali Police Unit in Zomba on suspicion of being behind a string of housebreaking and theft cases in the district.
Zomba Police Station Deputy Publicist Andrew Mwale said the suspect allegedly broke into a house on 12 July 2026 and stole an Azam decoder, an Ecco DVD player, cooking pots, plates, and half a bag of maize.
According to Mwale, the suspect was later arrested, leading to the recovery of the stolen property.
Police investigations have also linked Phiri to another housebreaking incident that occurred in June 2026, during which a 32-inch Samsung plasma television and a Zuku decoder were reportedly stolen from a different residence.
Mwale said preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect is believed to have broken into six houses over the past two months, making away with various household items.
The suspect, Cosmas Phiri, comes from Kamwendo Village under Traditional Authority Zulu in Mchinji District.
