Police in Rumphi are keeping in custody five men for allegedly stealing assorted items from moving vehicles.

Rumphi Police station spokesperson Sergeant Tupeliwe Kabwilo said the five have been linked with two incidents that happened in April and May this year at Bale and Phwezi in the district.

At Bale it is reported that goods like bicycle tyres and lubricants amounting to k1,750,000 belonging to a certain business person were stolen on his way from Tanzania.

Later on May 25 this year, a similar report was filed to Rumphi Police Station concerning theft of assorted goods such as clothes, wrappers and plastic shoes worth K790, 000 were stolen from another motorvehicle around 18OO hours between Hunguru and Phwezi area.

The suspects are Kondwani Nyirenda 43 of Yaluwira village, Jelasi Mwafulirwa 28 , Edson Muwisa 26 both from Kamvuka Village under Traditional Authority Mwankhunikira, Chandiwira Manyera 26, Manyera Village under Traditional Authority Mwahenga and Frank Botha from Chiweko Village under Traditional Authority Chikulamayembe in Rumphi district.