A NORTH Durban resident has warned off of an alleged con-woman operating in the uMhlanga area. This after her purse was stolen from her handbag when she gave a lift to the con-woman. Helene Levitan said the woman cornered her on Lighthouse Road and claimed that her keys were locked in her car. What’s more, it’s believed the alleged con artist is the same woman involved in the theft of a La Lucia resident’s purse where the woman went on a R5 000 shopping spree.
“She was so distressed and looked quite upset. She said she had locked her keys in her car and couldn’t get hold of her family who would be worried about her safety. She had an answer for every suggestion I gave. I offered her a lift to Toyota in uMhlanga to get them to help her and she was ostensibly on the phone to them. My handbag was on the passenger seat floor and I think she snatched my purse while she was distracting me.
“I offered her a lift to Toyota and thought I was doing a good deed. She kept telling these sad stories about her life. When we got to Toyota, it was closed. She then said her sister had messaged her to say she’ll meet her at her car at Chartwell Centre. I took her back to where she approached me,” she said.
Moments after arriving home, Levitan received two SMSs saying an attempt had been made to withdraw R3 000 and then R1 000 from her credit card.
“That’s when I realised my purse had been stolen. I went to the ATM and reviewed the CCTV footage which showed the woman nervously trying to take the money. She kept running away every time somebody approached the machine.
“After the unsuccessful attempts she left the booth. While searching for the receipts from the ATM, I found my purse with everything in it in the bin next to the machine. I just want to warn residents in the area that this woman is trying to con people.”
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