Pensioners have become a target of robbery during this festive season. Recently a 79 years old Elisa Diale from Molapo has robbed a total amount of R27 000 and belongings at Maponya mall in Soweto.
According to security camera footage at the mall, four elderly women have become victims of these robberies, which consist of three women and a man. Women who go for bank withdrawals are warned about them, as they pretend to be giving away food parcel vouchers.
“I went to Maponya mall with my two grand-children to pay for bills. I made transfers from Nedbank and Standard bank accounts, then made withdrawals of R10 000 where I paid R3 000 to my credit card and was left with R7 000. Then I went out of the mall alone and a woman approached me near Home Affairs offices. She started communicating with me and pointed to another woman who was standing not far from us and said she wanted to talk to me. The woman told me that it was my lucky day because I got a Christmas grocery voucher which they are giving away. They asked me whether I have withdrawn any money, asked for my cellphone to call their office in order to inform them that they are coming with me”, she said.
Diale said the women told her that their office is at Bara mall then they got into a white polo Vivo which had no registration number plate. She said there was already a man and another woman inside the car.
“We drove away from Maponya but surprisingly the car took the opposite direction which goes to Bara mall. When at Potchefstroom road, I asked them where we were going but was told that we are avoiding road-works ahead. We drove into fields and the car stopped in the bushes where they asked me to give them money as well as belongings. I was robbed of my cellphone, bank cards, my wedding ring and they found R7 000 when searching for me. I was left in the bushes but someone helped me out to get back to Maponya mall. I found my grand-children waiting and worried about me. When checking at my bank accounts, they had already withdrawn R20 000 and I got robbed a total amount of R27 000”, said Diale.
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Kay Makhubela, a case of kidnapping and robbery has been made. He said no arrests have been made yet.
