A 66-year-old woman was robbed of her pension and that of her mother after meeting a man on a dating site.
The man made off with her handbag containing R2 000 cash, her mother’s identity document, ATM cards and cellphone which she had left in his car while she went to use the restroom at a petrol station.
Prem Balram, the head of Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), said members were called out to assist a stranded woman at a service station north of Durban.
He said the woman told the officers she had been chatting to the man for three months on the dating site Badoo and that they had met for the first time on Wednesday.
“After they exchanged telephone numbers, their conversation continued on WhatsApp. The man identified himself as a 54 year old mechanic (Salim) and that he owned a mechanical workshop in Pinetown.
“The woman said during their conversation on Tuesday night, she informed the man that she needed to withdraw the old age grant for her and her 84-year-old mother. The man offered to transport her to an ATM prior to them going on their first date,” he said.
Balram said the man picked up the woman from near her home on the south of Durban and took her to withdraw both grants at a mall in Amanzimtoti.
He said the man was driving a white Opel Corsa.
“Once they were done, the man suggested they proceed to Hazelmere Dam to relax. The dam is approximately 61km from the mall. Upon arrival, they spent three hours at the recreational facility. They thereafter decided to purchase a meal and travelled to a service station. The victim informed the driver that she needed to utilise the restroom to freshen up before having her meal,” he said.
Balram said the man informed her that he would park the vehicle, but he drove off once she jumped out and walked towards the toilets.
“The woman’s handbag was later recovered near a casino. The suspect is believed to have scammed several other females seeking companionship. Reaction officers are currently tracking the suspect,” he said.
The woman reported the incident to police, who did not comment at the time of publishing.