Johanensburg - At least two people have been mugged inside the Edgars store in the Joburg city centre in recent weeks.
Pearl Govender says she was robbed of her handbag, containing her identity book, purse, house keys, cellphone and bank cards.
Her R16 000 wedding ring was also taken.
Govender said
she was approached by a smart-looking woman in the shoe section of the store on April 22.
“She first asked my name and where I worked. I responded as I thought she resembled someone I knew,” Govender said.
She walked away from the woman, who then followed her with two other women who walked up to her and asked the same questions.
“It felt weird when they asked how long I had been married. I then turned away but they surrounded me,” she said.
She was told to remain quiet and obey them. After her belongings were taken, she was escorted to the escalators by the women.
“I was instructed to take the escalators and count to 10. They were gone by the time I looked down from the escalators,” she said.
Govender alerted a security guard and was shown CCTV footage.
“The mugging could not be seen. The security manager said the cameras filmed only the main entrances and the central part of the store.”
She added that her house locks had to be changed immediately after the incident. “My house keys were inside the bag. I had letters that had my home address attached to them. It’s scary because you never know.”
Now the 24-year-old woman is without a bank card because her ID was taken.
She said she had used only a quarter of her April salary before the mugging. Now that her May salary has been paid, Govender is waiting for her new identity book in order to apply for a new bank card. “I’ve been paid my salary but can’t access it,” she said.
Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Lorraine van Emmerik said the case had been closed as the suspects were unknown.
Govender’s incident wasn’t the first to have happened inside the shop.
Candice Naidoo was also a victim of crime when her purse was taken from her pocket while she was shopping in the store. Naidoo said she had approached security but was told there was nothing that could be done. Her wallet was later found but the money was gone.
Edgars said it would review its in-store security measures.
The Star