Bride-to-be, pregnant woman, and IT student robbed by policemen in Verulam CBD
In a shocking incident earlier yesterday, a bride-to-be, a heavily pregnant woman, and a third-year Information Technology (IT) student were robbed by two men posing as policemen in Verulam CBD, KwaZulu-Natal.
The victims, a 24-year-old woman and her two friends, arrived at the Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) headquarters around 13h01 to report the robbery.
According to the woman, the trio had traveled from Ndwedwe to Verulam CBD by mini taxi, intending to run errands. The student had withdrawn cash from an ATM for a salon visit, while her bride-to-be friend was carrying cash for her wedding shopping, and the pregnant woman was on her way to a local clinic.
As they left a service station, the three women were confronted by the occupants of a white, unmarked vehicle. The two men, dressed in full police uniforms, claimed they were investigating a robbery at a business where laptops and cash had been stolen. They told the women they matched the description of the suspects and ordered them to accompany them for a “pointing out” at the business premises.
During the drive towards Temple Valley, the suspects demanded the women hand over their handbags. Among the stolen items were R700 in cash, an iPhone 6, a Nokia cellphone, a weave worth R2500, R13,000 in cash, and an iPhone 16. The victims were then abandoned on the roadside in Temple Valley.
The woman who reported the incident confirmed that they complied with the men, believing they were genuine police officers. She also mentioned that the vehicle was equipped with SAPS (South African Police Service) equipment.
Fortunately, none of the victims were injured. Body cam footage of the interview with the complainant has been withheld to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.