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Carjacking and street crime are on the increase in
Zimbabwe especially in the urban areas.Criminals are constantly targeting foreigners
and visitors from the rural areas operating in the vicinity of hotels, restaurants
and shopping malls and in the major tourist areas.
Visitors should be watchful of their luggage at airports, railway and bus stations,
and when making calls from public phones. Visitors may wish to take the preventive
measure of leaving all valuables such as passports, money, jewelry and credit cards
in the hotel safe when not being used. Travelers should not carry large sums of money
or multiple credit cards while shopping.
Visitors should also be cautious when leaving banks and Automatic Teller Machines.
Travelers who suspect that their vehicle is being followed, should drive to the nearest
police or service station, or some other public area for assistance. Drivers should
also be alert to "smash and grabs," in which thieves break car windows
at stop lights and grab items from the car seats. These incidents are becoming more
common in Harare.
Car doors should be kept locked and windows rolled up at all times. Handbags, wallets
and other items should be stored on the floor of the vehicle, or in the trunk. In
the event of a flat tire, drive to a service station for assistance. Drivers should
be cautious of anyone offering to assist in the changing of a flat tire, which may
have been deliberately punctured.
Land mines along the Mozambique border, situated beyond the main tourist areas, make
travel to that border area potentially hazardous.
There is also a culture of demonstrations and political clashes which can result
in serious violence prior to and during elections. Currently there is the ongoing
occupation of commercial farms by War Veterans.However visitors and travellers are
not affected by this conflict although its best to avoid farm areas! |
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