A routine shopping trip in Pietermaritzburg's CBD turned into a robbery after a 28-year-old woman was allegedly lured away from a supermarket by three men posing as police officers. The incident happened shortly before midday on Tuesday and has prompted a warning for shoppers to be wary of strangers claiming to be police officers. Umgungundlovu District SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Sifiso Gwala confirmed that a case of robbery is being investigated.
According to Gwala, the woman was approached in the parking area of a shop in the Pietermaritzburg CBD by a man who claimed she had dropped something. When she told him she had not, the man allegedly told her that he was a police officer and that they were investigating a case against her. He then allegedly told her to accompany him to a vehicle in the parking area, where two other men were waiting.
The men allegedly took the woman's phone and banking details as part of the investigation, and then took her to another shopping centre before stopping at a garage, where they withdrew R7 000 from her bank account. They then dropped her off in the vicinity of Woodhouse Road. Gwala said the woman was not assaulted during the ordeal.
Pietermaritzburg Central Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Allan Werner urged residents to be cautious when approached by people identifying themselves as police officers, even if they are wearing uniforms. He advised community members to check with the store manager or security before proceeding with anyone from the shop and to request appointment cards from anyone who identifies as a police officer.
Werner also warned residents to be careful about sharing holiday destinations or travel plans on social media as the festive season approaches. He suggested that residents could also contact 10111 to verify whether a case was being investigated against them. AET Security confirmed that there had been an abduction and that the victim had been scammed out of cash through an EFT transfer while in the custody of the suspects.
The latest incident bears similarities to another alleged fake-police robbery reported in Pietermaritzburg earlier this year. In that case, a young woman was approached inside a store by a man who asked her for help buying baby clothes, and was later taken into a vehicle by three men claiming to be police officers.
Police have not indicated whether the two incidents are linked. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of shoppers in the Pietermaritzburg CBD, and authorities are urging residents to be vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect themselves from potential scams and robberies.
Key points
- Three men posing as police officers robbed a 28-year-old woman of R7 000 in Pietermaritzburg's CBD on Tuesday.
- The incident has prompted a warning for shoppers to be wary of strangers claiming to be police officers.
- Authorities are urging residents to verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a police officer and to be cautious when sharing personal information.
