Man followed, robbed
The robbers also took the victim's car keys and threw them away before fleeing the scene, leaving him stranded.
Members of the public have been discouraged from carrying large amounts of cash, especially this festive season.
This comes after a man, who was driving from OR Tambo International Airport, was robbed of $1400 on Thursday, November 7, by bogus police officers on the R24 highway.
According to Sergeant Mduduzi Nhlabathi, the man was en route home from the airport when he was stopped by men driving a silver Toyota Corolla, with the registration number; DF 27 FG GP.
“The men showed him a police badge and told him get out of the car. They then searched him and found the cash in one of his pockets and took it,” said Sgt Nhlabathi.
He added that the robbers also took the victim’s car keys and threw them away before fleeing the scene, leaving him stranded.
“We urge motorists to be cautious on the roads, including the freeways. It should not be easy for anyone to stop you on the highway. A legitimate police officer should show you a police card as identification, not a badge,” he added.
A Bedfordview resident, who did not want to be named, told the NEWS that she fell victim to a similar crime in December 2013, while driving from the airport.
She said, “I had just exchanged some dollars for R15 000 when, just before I pulled into my driveway, a car overtook me and blocked my way. I immediately tried to reverse, but there was another car behind me. Four men exited with guns and demanded that I get out. They told me they neither wanted my car or to hurt me. All they wanted was the R15 000 I had just withdrawn.”
She added that she wondered how they knew about the withdrawal and the exact amount, until she conducted an investigation of her own.
“I found that in my case, their modus operandi was simple. Someone from the inside [allegedly] described me to the person who followed me to the parking lot without me even noticing. They then alerted another suspect of the car I was driving and the direction I took. I believe that no matter how cautious I was, I would not have been able to make a connection between the man I saw at the parking lot and someone who overtook me a few metres from my gate. These criminals are smart and they are more aware of their surroundings than their victims, which is a sad truth,” she said.
Sgt Nhlabathi told the NEWS that criminals are aware of the increase in movement in malls and airports due to the holiday season and he urged residents to be careful during their travels as well as shopping. “In a case where you are unsure if the officers stopping you is legitimate, put on your hazard lights and drive to either the nearest police station or closest busy place,” he added.
@Duenna_M
