‘Smooth talking’ pickpocket strikes in Durban North
A sneaky pickpocket has been operating in the Durban North area, and is known to ironically distract his victims with the topic of crime.
RESIDENTS in the Durban North area have, in recent weeks, been targeted by a ‘silver tongued’ pickpocket. In most cases he fled the scene with his victim’s cellphone.
The smooth operator is known to raise various topics to distract his victims. Ironically, one of the subjects was related to crime. Some of his victims have also reported that the pickpocket remained ‘uncomfortably close’ during the encounter.
Brian Jackson, Blue Security operations manager, said the pickpocket recently struck on Ennisdale Drive on Friday last week. He approached a resident walking his dog at around 5pm and struck up a conversation regarding self-defense, while he inconspicuously robbed the victim of his cellphone.
“The man started talking to him about how to defend himself if someone should attack him, and it was only after he had left that the resident put his hand in his pocket and realised his cellphone had been stolen. The resident searched for the man but he was nowhere to be found,” he said. The suspect was wearing brightly coloured takkies at the time of the incident.A similar incident was reported at around the same date and time at Swapo Road, opposite the Methodist church. The second victim was also robbed of his cellphone.
Durban North resident, Barry Wood, who was also walking his dogs just after 5pm, said he was approached by ‘a young man in his 20s’.
“He came up alongside me and started to chat to me about the dogs and asked questions. He seemed very friendly and innocent. After a few minutes, he then started to compliment me on the trousers I was wearing and launched into a story about how much his friends paid for these type of quality trousers,” he said.
Wood told the Northglen News that he did not feel threatened during the encounter, but felt that the man had invaded his personal space.
“He kept chatting and I eventually told him I needed to get on my way and pulled away from him and started to walk down Chelsea. I then realised that my cellphone was missing. My trousers have deep pockets with quite a tight opening, so I am not sure how he managed to get the phone out without my knowing. I could not do much as I had the dogs with me so I hurried home and called the security company, but by then he had vanished,” he said.
The community is urged to remain vigilant of anyone expressing similar behavior and to keep a safe distance from any strangers.
