A Villeria resident found out just how quickly criminals can act after her cellphone was snatched at a coffee shop in Soutpansberg on Sunday.

According to victim Janine Potgieter, a man who she mistook to be her waiter, approached her table before grabbing her phone and running away.

“He then drove off with his friend in a silver Volkswagen Polo,” Potgieter detailed.

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In her attempts to try to find out who were the culprits, she approached a local security company.

“They said they can’t help me due to the POPI Act.”

The security company confirmed the knowledge of the incident but referred Rekord to the complex centre manager.

Attempts to reach the centre management were however unsuccessful.

In a Facebook post, Potgieter said she could pick up her phone’s location in Yeoville, Johannesburg.

“I can’t show up there alone to try to get my phone back, and all my wedding plans for next month are on the phone,” Potgieter said in her post.

Potgieter said the incident left her with bruises and cuts as she fell while running after the man who took her phone.

She also shared CCTV footage of the incident on Facebook.

“I since opened a case with Villeria police station on Monday and the police have been very helpful. They weren’t sure if they could catch the perpetrator though.”

Rekord has reached out to the police for comment but had yet to receive it by the time of publication.

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