Durban - Video footage is being circulated of a brazen thief stealing a battery from a parked vehicle in Verulam on Saturday.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) posted the video on Facebook calling for anyone with information about the man in the video to come forward.
In the video a man is seen approaching the corner of Russom Street and Glenaire Avenue in Verulam. As he approaches a white Toyota Condor parked on a pavement, he looks around to check if anyone is around before sticking his arms between the bull-bar and through the vehicle's grill.
After the man tugs and fiddles with something for a few seconds inside the front of the vehicle, the bonnet pops open.
He quickly secures the bonnet in the open position and retrieves something from his pocket which he uses to unfasten the battery.
During this time, other vehicles are seen driving past and two pedestrians walk past the vehicle.
Leaving the bonnet open, he pulls the battery out and walks away.
Rusa spokesperson, Prem Balram, said the thief took just over a minute to open the bonnet and remove the battery.
“Reaction Officers have responded to several complaints in the Verulam CBD where shoppers would park their vehicles only to find that their cars would not start on their return. Upon investigation they found that their batteries had been stolen,” he said.
If anyone has information on the suspect in the video, kindly contact Rusa on 086 1234 333.
THE MERCURY