Pretoria - Women shoppers have become the latest targets for criminals in the east of Pretoria, shown by an increase in the number of theft cases being opened at the Brooklyn police station.
Police spokeswoman Captain Colette Weilbach said female shoe shoppers fell prey to criminals as they left their handbags on the floor or on benches while fitting on shoes.
Weilbach said shoppers often paid little regard to their handbags while walking around and trying on shoes or while pushing trolleys. “Criminals see an opportunity in this shoe-shopping ritual and are using it to steal from shoppers,” Weilbach said.
“The perpetrators, who work in groups, will either distract the shopper or will take the opportunity when the shopper is moving away from her handbag to steal something from the bag. The shopper sometimes only discovers the theft at the pay point or at a later stage,” she said.
However, the modus operandi can differ as a woman who was targeted explained. She refused to be named, but said the syndicate had three members, a male and two females.
She explained that she was approached by a man at a Monument Park shopping centre shop, who intentionally bumped into her. During the commotion, a woman stole her phone out of her handbag and handed it over to another woman.
Weilbach said the perpetrators sometimes bump their target with a trolley as part of the distraction while the others steal from the victims’ bags.
She warned people to watch over their valuables at all times.
Pretoria News