Mpumalanga businessman Sean Shultz was kidnapped and robbed of R300 000 in a Facebook Marketplace scam in Winterveldt, north of Pretoria on February 6.

Shultz travelled to Pretoria following his response to a plant machine sales advertisement on Facebook Marketplace.

Little did he know that he was falling straight into a trap.

It is reported that Shultz’s business associate noted transactions amounting to R300 000 going through the bank account. The associate proceeded to phone Shultz wherein he exhibited signs of distress. Subsequent efforts to reach Shultz proved futile.

The associate escalated concerns about the victim’s safety and the unusual nature of his unreachable status.

According to reports given, the alarming inability to establish further contact with Shultz and the stress observed in his voice, there arose suspicions of a potential kidnapping scenario.

After the suspicion, family members and Shultz’s associate noted that the tracking device on his vehicle was deactivated and law enforcement and the tracking company were notified.

Search for Shultz

Police and other private security companies analysed the data collected, which led to a residence in Winterveldt where Shultz was found bound – with severe injuries – around 21:00 on Tuesday.

The trailer Shultz was hauling to load the plant equipment on was recovered nearby but the bakkie he was driving is still missing.

At 02:35 the next day, the vehicle was found in Rietgat.

District police spokesperson Warrant Officer Johan van Dyk said the Loate police are investigating a case of hijacking, kidnapping and armed robbery.

Van Dyk said Shultz alleged he saw a Skid steer machine advertised on Facebook and started communicating with the seller who gave him a location to come view and subsequently buy the machine.

He said when Shultz arrived at the location, a boy took him to another to meet the seller.

“The victim was accosted by 20 unknown men, four carrying firearms.”

The suspects allegedly fired some warning shots to scare him and he was told to sit in the back seat while being hit with a firearm in the head.

Van Dyk said the victim alleged that his face was covered with a T-shirt and was driven to an unknown place where he was forced to use an app to transfer cash to another account.

“The suspects then left,” said Van Dyk.

Police would later rescue Schultz from a Kganyega residence in Winterveldt.

Shultz was promptly taken to a hospital for medical attention for his injuries and counselling before being reunited with his family.

Police are pursuing multiple leads and arrests are expected.

Hotspot area

Winterveldt has been a hotspot for Facebook Marketplace robberies and murder.

In an unrelated incident, former chairperson and director of a Pretoria Rugby Club Jaco Basson was murdered in an armed robbery after he responded to a Facebook Marketplace ad about a bakkie he wished to purchase on November 12.

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi previously said Loate police are investigating a case of murder and armed robbery.

The murder shocked Blue Bulls Rugby Union CEO Dr Eugene Hare, who was in disbelief.

“I battle to find words to express my emotions as this is a terrible tragedy. Jaco was such a selfless soul who did so much for club rugby, notably at Pretoria RC in the past few years. My sincere condolences go to his family and friends. He will be remembered as a giant among giants.”

Basson’s sister, Rialta van der Mescht said the family lost Basson after he responded to a Facebook advertisement.

A Lydenburg businessman who was kidnapped has been found at a house in the Winterveld area, north of Pretoria, bound and with serious injuries.

He travelled to the area, responding to an advertisement.

Large amounts of money were withdrawn from his bank accounts.

The…

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) February 7, 2024

Award-winning investigative journalist and anti-crime activist Yusuf Ambramjee said people should be cautious, especially when responding to Facebook Marketplace scams.

“People should not go to that area (Winterveldt) as a lot of people have been robbed and even murdered. Police have made arrests countless times but copycats are still hard at work,” he said.