RUST-TER-VAAL. – A 72-year-old granny was duped out of R9500. It was duped right out of her handbag. Ouma (not her real name), said she was robbed in the Vereeniging CBD by two men recently. One of them posed as a police officer and a mysterious substance was rubbed on her shoulder, she explained.

“The alleged police officer advised me not to touch or even wipe off the substance. Instead, they requested me to accompany them to my house in Rust-ter-Vaal.”At her house, they persuaded her to produce every cent she has, including her bank card, pension card (SASSA), and put it into her handbag.

They then all got into a car to drive back to Vereeniging ‘to lay a charge.’ “Before we set off, one of the men sprayed the money including my cellphone with a watery substance.” However, metres after pulling away, they stopped and told her they would instead be sending another police officer to her home later that day to obtain her full statement.

The front passenger returned her bag to her, advising her to only open it after 14:00.

“ During the ordeal, nothing but the bag was on my my mind. I could not think straight,” she said. Later her neighbour instructed her to open the bag, persuading her that nothing would happen. “I anxiously opened it before the time, only to find that the bag was empty.” She later went to the police station and to lay a charge. But was told police had nothing to go on.