An elderly Kempton Park resident, who was robbed of her bank card at an ATM in Festival Mall on Sunday morning, lost over R40 000.
Lillian Baselga-Lee (75) went to an ATM to draw money between 11am and 11.30am and I saw a man nearby counting money. The ATM slot wouldn’t take her card after trying multiple times to insert it.
She asked the nearby man whether he knew what could be wrong, after which he attempted to seemingly assist her. In doing so, the man got hold of Baselga-Lee’s card and pin.
According to her financial statements since the theft, two major transactions had diminished her funds. On Monday, a transaction for R9 900 was made at a Kempton Park liquor store. The next transaction, on the same day, was for R35 000 made to an account named ‘DK’.
Baselga-Lee said she suffered from breast cancer and needed those funds to pay for a biopsy and mammogram.
“That money was borrowed from a former employer and some from my daughter. It was supposed to go towards my procedures.”
Kempton Park SAPS spokesperson, Capt Jethro Mtshali, confirmed Kempton Park detectives are investigating a case of fraud where an elderly person became victim at Festival Mall on Sunday.
“We can confirm that preliminary investigations are underway, but it is too early to reveal how far we are.”
“We request anyone with information to contact us on 086 001 0111 or ask for D/Const Mulaudzi on 011 393 8600.”
Mtshali also advised the community not to accept any assistance from strangers when using ATMs.
