Mzansi Bowled Over by Pickpocketing Trend in Durban, Clip Goes Viral: 'Talent Show'

• A video has emerged on social media showing a pickpocket hit an unsuspecting victim at a busy shopping precinct
• The clip was shared on Twitter under the @Abramjee handle and demonstrates the tactic the thief uses to carry out his plan
• Locals swarmed the tweet to react to the shocking material, with some pointing out that the trend has become prevalent

Criminals have found clever ways to thrive amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life, creating the perfect storm for their destructive tactics to be carried out.

The arsenal of tricks some thieves adopt has glaringly come to light in a suburb west of central Durban in KwaZulu-Natal after a two-man crew were caught on camera executing the perfect daytime robbery.

Heading to Twitter under the @Abramjee handle, anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee shared CCTV footage that shows the moment a pickpocketer swindled an unsuspecting victim of his possessions.

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The caption read:

"Pickpocketing in Sydenham, Durban. Suspects used a silver Toyota Etios."

Seasoned con artist in disguise

The video shows two men standing next to a truck parked along the pavement at a bustling shopping precinct. The eventual robber engages the other man in what appears to be a lively conversation and seems to edge closer to him as he demonstrates an action.

At that moment, the thief sneakily manages to use his free left hand to remove an item from the victim's breast pocket. He carries his plan out methodically and without breaking a sweat, ensuring the victim's situational awareness is disturbed in the fleeting chaos.

After concluding his deception, the assailant struts off slowly before another man, who appears in the frame from a different direction, joins him. The two walk off and get into a car parked in front of the truck out of the view of the victim, who up to that point is still oblivious to the pickpocket.

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The 43-second clip has caused a frenzy on social media. At the time of publishing this article, the tweet had attracted 160 likes and more than 100 retweets. Locals reacted to the clip in a way that suggests such incidents were prevalent, especially in busy metropolises that offer plenty of distractions for would-be victims.

Mixed bagged of responses served up

Briefly News took a deep dive into the comments to bring readers all the amusing and half-heartedly shocked reactions to the post.

@AbelOfAfrica wrote:

"People from KZN would tell you 'ithathwe ngamasalamusi!' Why would I allow a total stranger to simulate hitting me on the neck like that!!"

@tl_khumalo_ said:

"Oldest trick in the book. Why do people still fall for this?"

@matizozo added:

"Don't let someone you don't even know touch you - jeez he could have even stolen the truck’s key and made off with the groceries if he was ambitious enough!"

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Thieves steal JMPD vehicle in Soweto, locals amused

Few things nowadays are capable of rendering South Africans in complete shock. And the idea that a cop car could be the target of lowly criminals is even more beyond some locals, who'd much rather dismiss the notion as something from a movie script.

Briefly News recently reported this exact incident occurred in an area of Soweto on Sunday when about three Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers stopped to investigate a complaint. Ambramjee shared an image of the law enforcement Toyota Corolla sedan on Twitter.

"JMPD vehicle stolen in Phuti Soweto and recovered in Tshiawelo," the short caption read.

Source: Briefly News