New crime trend takes businesses for a ride
FOURWAYS - The Douglasdale police have warned business owners to be wary of an emerging crime trend in the Fourways area.
According to Warrant Officer Balan Muthan, head of communications for the Douglasdale police, there has been a surge of cases where businesses have discovered that the proofs of payment submitted by customers are fake, after they have already surrendered the goods to the customers.
Muthan said a tile distributor in Fourways had been given a bogus invoice and proof of payment by an individual who claimed to be a contractor. The suspect picked up R32 500 worth of tiles from the tile store and left the premises. Only afterwards did the management of the tile shop discover that both documents were fake.
In another case, Muthan said an individual ordered a camping tent from a supplier and submitted a proof of payment before collecting the tent. The proof of payment turned out to be fake.
“These are just some of the cases,” Muthan said. “We’ve had cases of people purchasing machinery, boats and computer parts with bogus proofs of payment in the Douglasdale policing precinct.”
He said that business owners and staff needed to take note of this developing crime trend so that they don’t get taken for a ride.
Do you know of a crime trend happening in the Fourways area? Let Fourways Review know by emailing fourwaysr@caxton.co.za
