Police bust Durban syndicate who 'kidnap women, raid bank accounts'

Durban metro police have bust a syndicate of scammers who allegedly preyed on at least 30 women at shopping centres before kidnapping, assaulting and raiding their bank accounts.

eThekwini municipality said police arrested three men and woman at a mall in Montclair on Wednesday.

The woman would identify an elderly woman victim and point out money that had fallen on the ground. She would persuade the victim to pick it up. Once the victim had done so, she would be approached by an individual impersonating a police officer who would escort her to a vehicle. There the victim would be assaulted and robbed of her belongings and her bank account cleared out.

The municipality said the syndicate is believed to be connected to more than 30 other cases in KwaZulu-Natal, including kidnapping, fraud and armed robbery.

The four suspects were arrested for armed robbery. Police also seized a Suzuki vehicle used in the commission of the crimes, six cellphones and R2,310 in cash. 

Police are investigating other possible cases.

In November, Zain Soosiwala of anti-crime organisation eThekwini Secure said about 79 cases of women targeted by robbers demanding their internet banking passwords and bank card PINs had been reported to them in Durban.

“These cases tend to be overlooked. We met community policing forums and agreed to share such information with the public,” he said.

“We have also taken the initiative to speak to shopping centre managers where such incidents have been reported [to have taken place], to alert their security. Security companies have also been brought on board to respond quickly. It's sad that our elders are being subjected to such brutal criminal activity.”

TimesLIVE