WATCH: Woman robbed in front of ‘street guard’ who ‘did nothing’

The Intelligence Bureau SA said it hoped street guards were qualified and registered.


Intelligence Bureau SA has published a video of a man robbing a woman in Roosevelt Park, Johannesburg, on Sunday, on a street where a guard was said to have been stationed.

In a Facebook post on Monday, the Intelligence Bureau SA said the robbery took place on Sunday on Anreith Road in Roosevelt Park.

According to Intelligence Bureau SA on Facebook, a street guard was on the street at the time that the incident unfolded. “The street guard is less than 15m away, watches everything but did nothing! We have never been a fan of street guards unless they are properly trained and equipped accordingly. We hope those street guards are qualified and registered,” the Intelligence Bureau SA wrote.

In the video, a red vehicle can be seen stopping on the road next to where a woman is walking. A man alights from the passenger’s side of the vehicle and follows the woman. After getting her attention, he seems to talk to her and then bends over and points to the ground as she stands looking at him, while two other cars drive past.

Another man can be seen in the video. He appears to be yellow top – which could be a reflective vest – and blue pants, and is walking slowly down the opposite side of the road in the direction of the suspect, woman and red car.

The suspect then approaches the woman, trying to grab something from her, and a scuffle ensues as the woman tries to hold onto the item. The suspect pushes the woman to the ground, struggles with her some more before apparently making off with the item. He runs to the car that starts to drive away as he climbs in.

The man in yellow and blue is seen turning around and walking back up the road during the scuffle between the suspect and woman, occasionally turning to look at the incident, but as the car drives off he is seen to stop and turn towards where the woman was. The video stops there.

The whole incident unfolded in less than a minute just before 4.30pm on Sunday.

It is unclear as to whether a case has been opened.

In just an hour since the video was posted on Facebook, it had already been viewed 30 000 times with nearly 600 shares on Facebook.

Watch the video posted by Intelligence Bureau SA here:

In the comments on the Facebook post, social media users assume that the woman’s phone was stolen and many comment on how sad it is for crime to take place in broad daylight.

While some questioned the allege guard’s actions, others came out in defence of the guard, such as Leanton Mpiyabo Ndlovu, who commented: “I have seen guards die in front of me for trying to help and the victim runs away and never goes to the police to try and open a murder case … I don’t blame the guard.”

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