They are trying to gain access to apparently install ‘smart meters’. They’re basing their new con on a recent announcement by the municipality that they will be using smart meters to implement load limiting, a counter load shedding initiative. It is meant to reduce harsh load shedding schedules, an idea which have residents grabbing at the installation of smart meters in their homes.
According to messages broadcast by resident Shane Clark-Miller he was recently targeted by such conmen with a duplicate City Power ID. They drove a white Toyota Fortuner with black mags, registration number BC75FC GP, and approached him on Monday night 20 April.
“One man said they needed to install a ‘free’ smart meter for my electricity, at 6.45pm in the evening,” an outraged Clark-Miller wrote.
“When we started questioning the ID card he presented to us, which does not have his face on it, he told us it is is friend’s card.
“He said ‘the office mixed up our cards somehow’.”
Shane took a photo of the ID card. One of the men got slightly aggressive and apparently tried to manipulate the Clark-Millers to get inside the grounds. To Shane he said, “so just because you are scared, we have to come back another time?”
Shane proceeded to phone City Power’s offices and reached the security officials, who gave him the cell phone number of a Mr Moloi, to whom the ID card seemed to belong. The ensuing phone call to Mr Moloi surprised him.
“He said that he had his ID on his person and that no one else could thus use it, and said the men that approached me must be criminals.”
Shane cautions the community to not let anyone into their yards without a verified, unique ID card.
The Florida Police have been made aware of the situation. Station spokesperson Lydia Dikolomelo committed to establishing whether house robberies with this modus operandi has been reported to them.
