CrimeLocal newsNews

WATCH: Short-stay ‘guest’ disappears with everything but the kitchen sink

The couple allege the thief only spent 43 minutes at the complex for entire duration of his stay.

A R950 short-stay accommodation booking led to a loss of about R50 000 for Cornell and Melanie Spies, registered Booking.com hosts.

Investing in their future, the Farrarmere newlyweds bought a two-bedroom apartment in Goedeburg last year.

“My parents own a few short-stay properties in Cape Town, which have successfully created a passive income stream for them,” said Melanie.

“We want to start a family and, therefore, invested in the property and listed it with Booking.com and Airbnb’s platforms in October.”

Boasting all the creature comforts like a fully equipped self-catering kitchen and homely touches, bookings steadily came in, and an array of guests enjoyed their stay.

However, the owners’ glee took an unthinkable turn when a “guest” stripped their unit on January 8.

“Everything was stolen – the gas hob, oven, washing machine, dishwasher and everything else that could be transported,” said Cornell.

He explained what transpired.

On January 7, the couple received a notification through the Booking.com portal, reserving their unit for the next day.

“I have a standard message I send via WhatsApp to guests, filling them in on how to gain access to the complex, where to find the keys, house rules and other handy information,” said Melanie.

“The number provided was not registered on WhatsApp, so I requested an alternative number, which the ‘guest’ promptly provided.”

Swoon-worthy kitchen. A picture of the Spies’ kitchen before the theft.

At 15:42 on January 8, Melanie received a message saying the guest had checked in and found the accommodation in satisfactory condition.

Shortly after 07:00 on January 9, she received another message from the guest, thanking them for their stay.

Cornell headed to the unit to open for the housekeeping staff to prepare for the arrival of another guest later that day.

“When I walked in, I thought someone was pulling a prank on me,” he said with a giggle.

“I know it is not a laughing matter, but I think it is the disbelief of the whole event. Everything was gone – well, everything but the kitchen sink, beds, couches and fridge.”

Melanie said ornaments, cutlery and rugs were also stolen.

“The Benoni SAPS responded to the call and opened a case of theft. However, they closed it shortly afterwards due to ‘insufficient evidence’. They never collected fingerprints,” said Cornell.

As it happened
CCTV footage from the complex’s gate shows the “guest” arrived at 15:42 in a silver Toyota Corolla, later established as a registered share-ride operator.

The car is seen exiting the complex at 15:54. At 20:29, a white Hyundai Staria with black tinted windows enters the complex. It is suspected the “guest” was in the passenger seat.

“Due to the headlights’ reflection, we were unable to capture a clear shot of the vehicle’s number plates,” Cornell said.

“The vehicle is seen leaving at 20:44 and returning at 20:58. We suspect the first load of our goods was moved during this time and, given their time of return, they must have been off-loaded nearby. The vehicle is seen leaving for the last time at 21:10.”

Distancing from the renting platform
“The matter was reported to Booking.com because we sought more information regarding the ‘guest’ which might lead to his arrest,” said Melanie.

“Unfortunately, when making a booking, only a verified email address and phone number are required. Feedback from the service provider said an email was sent to the given email, and they were waiting for a response.”

The couple have since removed their unit from Booking.com and exclusively do business with Airbnb, which, they claim, has better verification protocols to safeguard hosts and guests.

“Every cent we earned from our investment had to be ploughed back to ensure the unit is up to standard again.

All we can say is thank goodness they didn”t trash the place, too,” said Cornell.

Melanie admitted that her faith in humanity had diminished but hoped this was an isolated incident.

“Security is beefed up at the unit, and we take extra precautions before accepting bookings. We still believe this is a sound investment but are not taking anything at face value.”

Booking.com responds
In a brief statement, a spokesperson for the platform said, “We were sorry to hear about the experience of this property owner and advise that in instances where there has been unlawful behaviour, it should be reported to the police.

“While the chances of damage or theft are low, if an accommodation owner wants additional reassurance that their property is protected, they can set up a damage deposit, which does not appear to have been in place for this reservation.

“This is collected by the property owner from the guests before or on arrival and refunded after their stay.

The “guest” stole a gas hob, oven, dishwasher and washing machine, among others.

“We further support our partners by having features and tools in place to make it easy for them to set house rules, with property owners also able to require that guests have a booking history with Booking.com and provide an address and verified phone number to make a reservation.”

They confirmed the “guest” had been blocked on the platform.

No comment about the police investigation was received at the time of publication.

ALSO READ: Bakkie thefts on the rise in Benoni warns CPF

ALSO READ: SAPS arrest copper cable theft suspects in Daveyton

   

At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here.

Related Articles

Back to top button