A member of a gang that allegedly swindled R200 000 worth of foreign currency from a victim at a Sandton hotel will reappear in the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court on 8 July.
The accused, said to be a foreign national, was remanded in custody pending further investigation. In an elaborate scheme captured on CCTV footage, he and two others were led into the hotel by a man and woman who had booked in earlier as a couple.
Moments after the ‘couple’ were ushered into a room, the man went down to the lobby and while appearing to be making a phone call, three other men appeared from outside and he led them back inside. Afterwards, the victim, who was carrying a paper bag seemingly containing the money, pitched up and was led by a porter to the room.
After a while, the woman walked out of the room and disappeared. Minutes later, the four men also left the room seemingly in a rush and briefly waited uneasily at a lift. When it didn’t open, they ran down the stairs. Security at the entrance who seemed to have been on alert apprehended the accused as he tried to flee from the building through some other exit point and into the street.
His accomplices are being sought. The victim had seemingly walked into the gang’s trap and was robbed of the forex said to have been about 15 000 dollars. The men are said to have hidden in wardrobes and pounced, robbing him of the money before escaping.
Related articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/226330/robbers-act-as-guests-at-a-local-guest-house/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/215056/three-suspects-arrested/
