Balaka Police Station Officer-in-Charge Phillip Dinala has pledged to intensify efforts to curb theft of farm produce and equipment at Demeter Farm amid concerns over inadequate security patrols.
Dinala made the pledge on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, during a meeting with the farm’s management to discuss measures to address theft of maize, beans, car parts, pipes and cable lines.
Demeter Farm General Manager Chris Stals said theft of maize and beans increases during harvesting periods, adding that police patrols during the day and at night help reduce the cases.
However, Stals said the farm was struggling to facilitate patrols in the fields due to a shortage of transport for ferrying police officers, leaving the areas vulnerable to theft.
He also expressed concern over the increasing theft of equipment and infrastructure, suspecting that some of the people involved could be working within the farm.
Stals further appealed to police to extend protection to him personally.
In response, Dinala said he would follow up on reported criminal cases at the farm despite the challenges, with the aim of reducing theft.
He also directed a Criminal Investigation Department officer who accompanied him to gather more information on the reported cases to facilitate investigations and the prosecution of suspects.
After the meeting, Dinala and his team visited Nkaya New Tower, popularly known as Mululu, where railway cable lines are frequently vandalised and stolen.
According to the police, the vandalism disrupts railway operations and train tracking systems, while trains that stop following the damage can become targets for fuel theft.
Dinala assured security guards at the tower that he would engage Central East African Railways (CEAR) management to address the problem, urging the company to work with police to tackle cable theft and vandalism.
