The man’s modus operandi sees him approaching a chosen house and claiming that his wife was in labour and that he needed money for a taxi.
In March, Marlboro resident Muhammed-Aqueel Chodree reported that at about midnight a man rang his doorbell repeatedly. Thinking it might be an emergency, he went to investigate.
“He said he was the ‘gardener from next door’ and that his wife was in labour. He said he needed assistance by getting some money from me to get her to the hospital urgently,” explained Chodree.
One resident allegedly offered to call an ambulance, but the man had simply walked away. All of the residents refused to open their doors, and when denied assistance he would react with aggression. He appeared to be mentally unstable, according to some sources.
Reports from afar as Roodepoort and Midrand have been made of a man saying the exact same thing to potential victims, with one of them alleging that he was sworn at by the con man when he refused him entry onto his property.
Captain Kim Cloete, spokesperson for the Sandton police, advised residents to be cautious and not allow him access to their homes. She said they should offer to call an ambulance, but they should also call out a patrol vehicle.
