The two females, aged 23 and 27, had been shopping at the corner of Jeppe and Small streets on 16 March when a man approached them and smeared the unknown substance on their hands.
“The women were still confused when three females and one male approached them and told them not to touch the substance,” warrant officer Xoli Mbele said in his statement. They were told by the strangers to buy milk and wash their hands with it.
The two victims proceeded to buy the milk when the same people allegedly searched their personal belongings and stole their purses containing R2 200 in total. The women started screaming after community members drew their attention to what was happening. A police vehicle patrolling the area arrested one female while the other two suspects fled the scene.
Warrant officer Mbele said, “No belongings were recovered.”
