Residents thrash man caught card cloning
The man handed over the bank card, money and cloning device willingly and was pleading for the trio to stop hitting him when mall security intervened.
A man caught cloning bank cards was mercilessly beaten by wrathful members of the community at Majuba Mall on Tuesday afternoon.
Splatters of his blood dotted the walkway in front of the FNB ATM where he was caught and, if it hadn’t been for the intervention of the mall security, would have been severely injured.
It is believed that the man was caught cloning cards by a teenager who was sent by his mother to withdraw money at the ATM at Pick n Pay (Hutten Heights). When he attempted to make the withdrawal, he had difficulty operating the ATM and a man standing behind him offered assistance. When the man ‘tried to help’ the machine retained the bank card and the teen could not complete the transaction. However, the teen was instinctively suspicious of the man who offered help and asked the driver of the taxi he was travelling in to follow the man.
From Pick n Pay, the man drove to Majuba Mall and went to the FNB ATM. Soon after he made a withdrawal the teen and two passengers accosted the man, demanded the bank card and money back and confiscated his card cloning device. Centre manager for Majuba Mall, Robbie Matthee, said the man handed over the bank card, money and cloning device willingly and was pleading for the trio to stop hitting him when mall security intervened.
Siphiwe Mabaso, who has worked in the security industry for 10 years, convinced the angry mob that was gathering at the scene to stop its assault on the man and allow the police to handle the matter.
“If I didn’t stop them, they may have killed him,” said Mr Mabaso.
While waiting for the police to arrive, the man attempted to make a getaway. His attempts were thwarted by Mr Mabaso who grabbed his car keys and had to physically restrain him.
Mr Matthee commended Mr Mabaso for his good work, calling him a hero for putting his life in danger to protect the man from his assailants and then ensure that the man was taken into custody to pay for his crime. “The community doesn’t realise the good job the security is doing. Guards often get sworn at but they are there to enforce rules to ensure the safety of the community. I am proud of the work these guys do,” said Mr Matthee. “I also want the criminal out there to know that if you try something at Majuba Mall, you will be caught. We make sure that our shoppers are safe here.”
Mall management thanks Officer Werner Klynsmith for his quick response.
