Durban — A suspect who allegedly solicited deposits or transportation fees for large industrial equipment, which he never actually possessed, was arrested for trying to sell a woman a generator.
Marshall Security’s managing director, Tyron Powell, said that on Thursday afternoon, at about 5pm, in a collaborative effort involving their Special Operations Team, uMdloti Smart Village, and the Durban North SAPS Crime Prevention Unit, a well-known fraudster was arrested in uMdloti.
Powell said the suspect was arrested after trying to defraud residents in the area, primarily through an online platform by selling items he did not own.
He said that the arrest occurred as the suspect was caught trying to defraud someone for a generator in uMdloti.
Powell said their Special Operations Team and the Durban North SAPS Crime Prevention Unit responded swiftly to apprehend the suspect.
“The suspect has been taken into custody at Durban North SAPS for further investigation and processing,” Powell said.
He said that further investigations revealed that the suspect was also connected to a fraud case in Bonnievale, Western Cape, where he had allegedly scammed a member of the public out of R64 400 in a bogus forklift sale.
He is also expected to be linked to the fraud case in Bonnievale, Powell said.
“His modus operandi involved soliciting deposits or transportation fees for large industrial equipment such as forklifts and big generators, which he never actually possessed,” Powell said.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said that a case of fraud is being investigated by Durban North SAPS after the suspect tried to defraud a woman of her cash by allegedly selling her someone else’s generator.
“A 44-year-old man was arrested in uMdloti. He will be profiled to check if he is linked to other cases. He is expected to appear before Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday, December 11, 2023,” Gwala said.
Powell advised the public that to avoid falling victim to fraud, it is crucial to conduct transactions only with legitimate, verified companies and exercise caution when dealing with individuals or entities online.
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