Thief arrested
An employee at Windermere Centre spotted a suspect who had stolen an item from his store the previous day. He contacted Berea police who quickly responded.
The 22-year-old suspect was arrested and detained for theft at Berea SAPS.
Cellphone fraudster nabbed
A man was arrested by Berea police for fraud at a cellphone store in Overport last Tuesday.
According to Lt PN Naidoo, a woman employed at the cellphone company attended to a customer who requested to take a contract cellphone. “The suspect submitted a false ID document and a copy of a falsified bank statement. When the salesperson checked his employment status with the suspect’s empoyer, she was told he did not work there,” said Naidoo.
When questioned, he admitted that he had used someone else’s ID and falsified bank statements to get a contract. Police responded quickly and the suspect was detained.
Woman attacked
A woman was beaten with a stick by two thieves who tried to to rob her of her cellphone on St Thomas Road last Thursday.
The woman was luckily helped by passing motorists and the suspects ran away. The victim was able to give police a good description and they were caught at a shopping centre in Davenport. The centre secuirty and police managed to arrest the 23- and 24-year-old men.
Task team strike again
The Berea task team led by Captain Kevin Stephen received a complaint of theft in Florida Road, Morningside, last Monday morning. They responded and noticed a security guard holding a man who was carrying a gate.
According to Lt PN Naidoo, spokesman for Berea SAPS, when the man was questioned about where he got the gate, he showed the police a home close by. “The owner was contacted and a case of theft was opened . The 22-year-old suspect was detained at Berea SAPS.”
Later that day, the team received a complaint and responded to a theft at a cellphone shop in Morningside.
According to Lt Naidoo, when they arrived, the manager informed them that the stock in the shop was missing and the person accountable could not give an explanation for the loss.
The manager opened a case of theft and the employee, a 25-year-old man was arrested and detained at SAPS Berea. Naidoo said further investigation will be done to recover the stolen cellphones.
The team received and responded to complaint of theft from a vehicle in Mitchell Crescent, Greyville on the same day.
According to Lt Naidoo, when the team arrived, they noticed a man being held by the owner of the vehicle. “He said the man stole his hub caps from his vehicle. The suspect was questioned and he admitted he took them, there was also video footage of him cutting the cable ties at an office near Greyville Race Course,” added Naidoo.
A case of theft was opened and the 25-year-old suspect was detained at Berea SAPS.
Be aware of scams
Lt PN Naidoo appealed to the community to be wary of quick-fix scams that are becoming more creative to swindle desperate community members out of their hard earned money.
Naidoo expressed grave concern after incidents had come to his attention of people falling victim to scams where criminals used the secret cult, “Illuminati Society” and advertised making packs with the devil in exchange for fame and wealth.
“These people are asking community members to meet them at odd places and bring money so that should immediately raise alarm bells!
“People are also still falling prey to rental scams where suspects are renting out flats to people desperate for accommodation. The suspect asks the person to deposit money into an account and after the deposit is done the suspect, who does not own the flat, disappears,” he said.
