Woman’s Menlyn Mall Phone Theft Story After Encounter With a Dodgy Couple Sparks Concern

Woman’s Menlyn Mall Phone Theft Story After Encounter With a Dodgy Couple Sparks Concern

  • A woman’s video recounting her unfortunate encounter at Menlyn Mall gained traction on TikTok
  • She shared how her phone was stolen after a confusing exchange with a couple who asked for help
  • South Africans flooded the comments section, sharing warning and their experiences with slick thieves
A woman raised concerns about Menlyn Mall
A woman explained how she lost her phone at Menlyn Mall in Pretoria. Image: @natefo_m/TikTok and Stock photo/Getty
Source: UGC

One woman who works at a store in Menlyn Mall in Pretoria told social media users how her phone was stolen.

Woman shares confusing encounter

She started by explaining that a couple approached her with what seemed like a harmless request for directions to Checkers.

The woman asked if she could show them the way, and in the spirit of kindness, she did. However, something felt off, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

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After guiding the pair to the store, she returned to her post only to realise her phone was missing. It seems the couple had managed to distract her just long enough for the theft to take place.

Crafty thieves are a growing problem

In the video posted on the TikTok account @natefo_m, the woman warned viewers about talking to strangers. She said even children and the elderly should be avoided, because thieve are crafty these days.

Watch the video below:

Experience with mall crimes

Her story served as a wake-up call for others to stay vigilant, especially in busy places like malls.

Mzansi people sympathised with the TikTokker and expressed their frustrations about similar incidents.

See some comments below:

@WinnyOsborne joked:

"Even when you see your mom just pass her. Don’t greet her back. Stay focused. You’ll greet each other at home."

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@Aisha said:

"Treat Menlyn Mall like Joburg CBD. Trust nobody, suspect everybody!"

@D_Mongad shared:

"Same thing happened to me ko Festival mall. They didn’t even steal it, I gave it to them and withdrew R3000 to give them. 😭😭😭"

@Mr&Mrs_phahla wrote:

"The same thing happened to me at Wonderpark last year in March. 10 minutes was enough for them to take my grocery and iPhone 13 Pro. 😭👐🏼"

@Leratorara posted:

"This happened to me at Centurion mall."

@Thuto highlighted:

"Once baofa story sa currency bafeditse. 😭🤞🏾 They use it everywhere! 😭"

@elatique commented:

"I think the currency exchange is a new scam. I was approached ko West gate with the same technique."

@NomthandazoNkosi asked:

"They did all of this for a phone?💔 guys no man."

Thief in Joburg Pick ’n Pay spotted on CCTV

Briefly News also reported that a TikTok video shows the chilling moment a criminal targeted a woman at a Pick'n Pay in Alberton.

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The brazen theft happened in front of cameras. Online users were amazed by the accused woman's methods for stealing.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Hilary Sekgota avatar

Hilary Sekgota (Deputy Human Interest HOD) Hilary Sekgota is the Head of Desk for Evening and Weekend content at Briefly News. She completed a BA in Communication Science from Unisa in 2018 and a Diploma in Journalism from Varsity College in 2010. She also passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative. Hilary joined the Briefly News team in 2022 and started her journalism career at Tshwane Sun. She has 12 years of experience covering current affairs and human interest topics. Email: hilary.sekgota@briefly.co.za

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