AMANZIMTOTI police have warned residents using banking services to be street-wise and vigilant to guard against a new robbery tactic that is being used against those seen withdrawing cash from banks or ATMs.
Toti SAPS spokesman, Captain Charlene Van Der Spuy explained the new robbery tactic occurring in Ethekwini Outer South Cluster area. The modus operandi sees robbers carefully watch a person who is withdrawing a large sum on money, either within the bank or at an ATM. They go as far as to follow the person to taxi ranks or taxis and wait for the person to get out. Aware that the person has withdrawn a large amount of money, they send in a woman who points out a large amount of cash in a plastic money bag or rolled up in a wad, which is lying on the floor, close to where the person is. She will ask the person if they have dropped the money and if it belongs to them. When the victim replies that it is not theirs, she suggests they both should share the money as they both saw it at the same time.
A request is made to the unsuspecting victim to follow her to her car, as she is afraid to split the money in public. On walking to her car, they will be approached by two fake ‘policemen’ dressed in plain clothes, showed fake police appointment cards and driving a so-called unmarked police vehicle.
The conmen will tell them they are both under arrest for taking the money wad and for not reporting it to the authorities. They will be asked to climb into the unmarked police vehicle and told they are being taken to the police station.
They will then be taken to a quiet place close by and told to put all the money in their possession into an envelope – of course, including their own money which they withdrew at the bank.
The robbers then drop them off, returning a closed envelope to them, giving the impression that it is their own withdrawn monies returned. On opening the envelope, the victim will find blank papers inside. These robbers sometimes use firearms and demand the victim to co-operate and even make further withdrawal transactions at ATMs elsewhere.
“The community is asked to be aware of this new robbery modus operandi and not to fall for this criminal set-up. If you have made a huge withdrawal of money at a bank or ATM, do not entertain any conversations with strangers or get distracted in or outside the bank by anyone,” said Capt Van der Spuy.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE APPROACHED IN THIS WAY:
- Immediately return to where the withdrawal was made or proceed to the nearest security officer to report such incident.
- Do not go anywhere private or secluded with any person you do not know.
- Do not make huge withdrawals on your own, always take a family member or friend with you.
DID YOU KNOW?
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