“Never Experienced Such Professionalism”: Woman Praises SAPS Cop’s Swift Service After Phone Theft
- A Cape Town woman was thoroughly impressed with the service she received from SAPS cops when her iPhone was stolen
- She especially thanked one sergeant in particular, who handled her case with urgency and full dedication
- South Africans applauded the officer and acknowledged his determination and willingness to serve his country with pride
Source: TikTok
A woman in Cape Town wanted to show her appreciation to the SAPS team in Elsies River for going above and beyond to help locate her stolen phone. She dedicated her TikTok post to Sergeant Jacques Mannoe, whom South African internet users applauded for his swift action.
On 29 October, 2025, @vee_nduls shared that a robber snatched her phone at the robots on 20 October, 2025, saying in her post:
"I was in shock, but I immediately called my niece to check Find My iPhone, and we could still see the phone moving. About 15 minutes later, it stopped at a certain address. I didn’t waste any time. I went straight to the Elsies River Police Station."
There, Sergeant Mannoe assisted @vee_nduls, whom she described as kind and patient. After explaining what had happened and showing her iPhone's last location, the police officer explained that the area was extremely dangerous due to ongoing gang shooting, but still promised to help her.
"He called for backup, and within five minutes, the police van was right behind us, and we headed out together to the location. When we got there, we found a group of gang members smoking at an abandoned building. The officers searched them, but my phone wasn’t there."
One of the women at the location revealed the thief's name and provided an address, but he wasn't at home when the team arrived. This devastated @vee_nduls, as she didn't have insurance, but the sergeant told her not to lose hope, as the team was determined to help her. She then received a call around midnight from the station saying they had caught the thief, and that she should identify him, which she did. The man later confessed to selling her phone for R700 in Bellville.
The next day, the cops visited the store where the phone was sold. The shop owner was in denial, but later that evening, Sergeant Mannoe called the woman to say they had found a phone matching her description, but it had been formatted. Nevertheless, she was asked for her IMEI number, which matched the phone they had found.
A highly appreciative @vee_nduls stated in her caption that the team didn't treat her case like it was 'just a phone,' but handled the matter with urgency, compassion, and full dedication. She added:
"From the bottom of my heart, thank you to the Elsies River SAPS team for showing such commitment and care, and a special thank you to Sergeant Jacques Mannoe for truly living up to the SAPS motto.
"I’ve never experienced such professionalism and humanity from the police before, and I’ll forever be grateful for what they did for me."
Source: TikTok
Helpful SAPS cop impresses South Africans
Hundreds of local online users loved the heartwarming story and shared similar experiences in the comment section, as it is often rare for South Africans to leave a police station feeling as if their cases were taken seriously.
@noelb.ruiters stated to the public:
"This is such a remarkable way of acknowledging the importance of service excellence despite the daily challenges."
@attorneyshaun said to the woman:
"You were lucky because at other stations, they will tell you that they won't be able to assist you without your IMEI number and open a case, even though you can literally see where it is."
@srmpaghckgg, who also seemed to be a cop, added in the comment section:
"Well done, colleagues. Thanks, sis, for appreciating them in public because most people only show the negative side of SAPS. How many souls were lost fighting crime for ungrateful people every day, going to work knowing that you might not come back because criminals shoot at the police first? People forget that the police have families but still choose to sacrifice themselves. I really appreciate what you did."
A grateful @phelo_zee01 shared under the post:
"Being a police officer is indeed a calling. I’m so glad there are still policemen who take pride in their work. A big well done to Sergeant Jacques Mannoe, and thank you for your service."
@gg59686 told the woman:
"My sister, that's not an officer, it's an angel in a blue uniform. God bless him."
@phoebekayt_, who was close to tears, wrote:
"I actually got emotional reading this. This should go viral. Dankie SAPS!"
Take a look at the TikTok post on @vee_nduls's account below:
3 Other stories about SAPS
- In another article, Briefly News reported that a female SAPS cop danced and sang in an official police vehicle, clearly enjoying the song she was listening to. People expressed their thoughts about the happy officer.
- A woman went viral when she playfully challenged her cop husband to a foot race, showcasing his fitness. The clip served as a refreshing reminder of the human side of cops.
- Last year, a few SAPS cops put a smile on a child's face after Santa Claus ignored him. The little boy was over the moon when the police officials visited his home.
Source: Briefly News
