Imagine waking up in the early hours of the morning to help a neighbour in need‚ only to have your so-called neighbour dash out of the front door with your cell phone.
That is what Craighall Park‚ Johannesburg‚ resident Alan Foley says happened to him when he tried to lend a helping hand.
Foley later discovered that the young man‚ who had introduced himself as Lee‚ was not a resident at all and had allegedly snuck into other complexes in the area too‚ claiming to live there.
Angelo Du-Pont‚ who appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court on Monday‚ was arrested last week and identified by Foley as the man who took his cell phone.
The student‚ 18‚ faces one count of theft and told the court that he has no previous convictions or cases pending against him.
He has not yet pleaded.
“He’s been doing the rounds in the area. In some cases he’s done his homework. He gained access to our building by saying he was the son of a woman in one of the units‚ and had the correct unit number and the woman’s name‚” Foley told TMG Digital.
Du-Pont allegedly took Foley’s cell phone to contact his mother in the presence of a security guard. When the phone was in his hands he was out of the building’s front door and in a getaway car‚ Foley said.
The incident took place around 5:30am on January 17.
Others have posted on social media community groups that “Lee” has entered their complexes‚ claiming to be a neighbour‚ and allegedly asked for assistance in the form of lifts‚ money and other items.
“He is very convincing. All the people who have come forward were conned and willingly gave him money‚” Foley said‚ describing Du-Pont as “extremely well-spoken“.
Du-Pont last week approached this reporter as she entered the front door of her Craighall Park apartment late at night‚ asking for a glass of juice and a pair of flip-flops.
The otherwise neatly-dressed student was not wearing shoes and claimed to be locked out of his flat in the same building‚ where he lives with his mother. He introduced himself as Lee and left after a few minutes in what he said was an Uber taxi.
According to Foley‚ Du-Pont has also been seen in Hyde Park‚ Houghton and Bryanston.
He does not face any charges relating to the reports of residents other than Foley. Police have not yet responded to
questions asking if these claims are being investigated.
Du-Pont’s case was postponed to next week to allow the police time to verify his address.
In court he told the magistrate that this reporter was his neighbour and able to verify his address‚ which she declined to do.
The defence said it would make representations to the magistrate‚ with the hope of preventing Du-Pont from being burdened with a life-long criminal record.
Speaking from the cells after court proceedings‚ in the presence of his lawyer‚ Du-Pont denied that he had introduced himself to this reporter as Lee.
Extremely well-spoken 'neighbour' in northern Johannesburg exposed as a 'conman
Imagine waking up in the early hours of the morning to help a neighbour in need‚ only to have your so-called neighbour dash out of the front door with your cell phone.
That is what Craighall Park‚ Johannesburg‚ resident Alan Foley says happened to him when he tried to lend a helping hand.
Foley later discovered that the young man‚ who had introduced himself as Lee‚ was not a resident at all and had allegedly snuck into other complexes in the area too‚ claiming to live there.
Angelo Du-Pont‚ who appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court on Monday‚ was arrested last week and identified by Foley as the man who took his cell phone.
The student‚ 18‚ faces one count of theft and told the court that he has no previous convictions or cases pending against him.
He has not yet pleaded.
“He’s been doing the rounds in the area. In some cases he’s done his homework. He gained access to our building by saying he was the son of a woman in one of the units‚ and had the correct unit number and the woman’s name‚” Foley told TMG Digital.
Du-Pont allegedly took Foley’s cell phone to contact his mother in the presence of a security guard. When the phone was in his hands he was out of the building’s front door and in a getaway car‚ Foley said.
The incident took place around 5:30am on January 17.
Others have posted on social media community groups that “Lee” has entered their complexes‚ claiming to be a neighbour‚ and allegedly asked for assistance in the form of lifts‚ money and other items.
“He is very convincing. All the people who have come forward were conned and willingly gave him money‚” Foley said‚ describing Du-Pont as “extremely well-spoken“.
Du-Pont last week approached this reporter as she entered the front door of her Craighall Park apartment late at night‚ asking for a glass of juice and a pair of flip-flops.
The otherwise neatly-dressed student was not wearing shoes and claimed to be locked out of his flat in the same building‚ where he lives with his mother. He introduced himself as Lee and left after a few minutes in what he said was an Uber taxi.
According to Foley‚ Du-Pont has also been seen in Hyde Park‚ Houghton and Bryanston.
He does not face any charges relating to the reports of residents other than Foley. Police have not yet responded to
questions asking if these claims are being investigated.
Du-Pont’s case was postponed to next week to allow the police time to verify his address.
In court he told the magistrate that this reporter was his neighbour and able to verify his address‚ which she declined to do.
The defence said it would make representations to the magistrate‚ with the hope of preventing Du-Pont from being burdened with a life-long criminal record.
Speaking from the cells after court proceedings‚ in the presence of his lawyer‚ Du-Pont denied that he had introduced himself to this reporter as Lee.
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