South Africa: The Reaction Unit South Africa has arrested a 61 year old man in Verulam after they recovered many ATM cards and cash from him. The cards and cash that was found in his possession is suspected to be stolen.
The arrest was made in Verulam in the morning hours of Thursday. The Reaction Unit received a call for assistance at approximately 11:46 from a female who has been scammed by the 61 year old. According to the caller, she was using the ATM machine at the service station in Verulam – KZN when it malfunctioned.
An elderly male who had just used the cash machine before her offered to assist her in using the machine. The suspect then distracted the 21-year-old victim while he removed her bank card.
He left the ATM section and went towards the vehicle with the card of the victim and drove off. The female realised that she had been scammed and took help from a passing motorist.
They followed the suspect who was driving a white Toyota Corolla meanwhile the woman contacted RUSA for assistance. Reaction Officers were dispatched to Inanda Road to intercept the vehicle right after the call was received.
Officers saw that the vehicle of the suspect was moving towards the R102. They also saw that the suspect threw a stolen ATM card out of the window before he increased his speed trying to evade the followers.
RUSA team continued to follow the suspect and caught up with his vehicle on the R102 between Verulam and Canelands – KZN.
The officers then conducted a search and recovered the ATM card belonging to the Victim. She confirmed that the driver of the vehicle as a person who had distracted and stolen the ATM Card.
The Reaction officers then confronted the suspect who confirmed that he specialised in ATM scamming. Once a thorough search was conducted on his person, the RUSA officers found many bank cards and R940 in cash his possession.
The reaction officers believe that these ATM cards are also stolen. They also established that the suspect was a resident of KwaMashu – KZN He was placed under arrest and detained at SAPS Verulam.