ANONYMOUS writes:
I was almost another Absa ATM victim at Greenstone Mall on January 4 around 11.30am. The criminals were smartly dressed and they were very ‘helpful’ at the ATM, or rather criminal A was when he literally took my card from my hand and pretended to insert it into the ATM.
I was gobsmacked by what was happening and why this man took my card. These criminals overwhelm and distract you. I am a very vigilant individual wherever I go and especially at ATMs.
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I realised, with God’s grace, that criminal A had taken my card and was walking away. His colleague behind me insisted I continue with my transaction and I stated: “No, this is not what I am transacting.”
I cancelled twice. The machine cancelled the transaction but returned to the same screen where criminal A was transacting. I found this strange.
Criminal B behind me insisted I continue yet again and he even pressed the key while I was still at the ATM. I was trying to get my card out and stated such to criminal B. I did not punch in my pin code.
I realised that criminal A had taken my card in an absolutely sophisticated manner. An angel in disguise saw what had happened when I tried to run after criminal A and we both chased him. Criminal A denied taking my card. We got criminal A back to the ATM and he continued to deny he had taken my card. Criminals A and B were talking in such high tones and creating such drama, but their acting did not fool the Greenstone security guard Lucky and his team.
I am so grateful for the lovely young lady (angel in disguise) and Lucky and his team who ensured these two men were taken to Greenstone Mall’s holding cells until the police arrived. The two criminals even had a rented vehicle.
The CCTV footage clearly depicts how these two are in cahoots. The police called me aside away from the mall security office and stated they could not do anything with these two men as my card was not in their possession. I understood this, as we need concrete evidence, but we need to teach these criminals a lesson.
I pray the police are honest, good police who uphold the law. I must admit I do not have faith in the police anymore.
I also approached shop owners and asked why they did not press the panic button to notify mall security. I was told the shop owners were threatened by the criminals not to interfere.
We need to fight crime, please, and remain proudly South African, still.
