“Only Here”: Popular YouTuber Joshua Rubin Does Crime Experiment in Cape Town and Gets Robbed

• YouTuber Joshua Rubin and his friend Emil did a social experiment in Cape Town to see how quickly they could get their phone stolen
• A random Cape Town resident gave them specific instructions on where to go and how to increase their chances
• The experiment worked when someone grabbed Emil's phone right out of the car window after following them

A South African content creator shared a video that showed how crime is in Cape Town on 30 December 2025. The gentleman posted footage of YouTuber Joshua Rubin and his friend Emil attempting a crime experiment in the city. The caption explained they were trying to get mugged or robbed of their phones for educational and entertainment purposes.

Joshua and Emil sat in their vehicle in a random area when a Cape Town resident walked up to them. He noticed what they were doing and gave them advice. He told them their current spot wouldn't work and directed them to go under the bridge by the robot (traffic light). He explained that when the light turns red, they should have their phone out and someone would definitely come.

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Joshua took the advice. He drove to the spot the man pointed out, and he and Emil laughed about the situation. As they stopped at a red light, someone took an interest in the phone Emil was holding out the window. They drove off, unsure if anything would happen, but after a few seconds, it was obvious they were being followed.

Emil kept pretending to type on his phone while Joshua drove slowly. They discussed making the setup look realistic so the person wouldn't notice they were being filmed. The man followed them for a while, waiting for the right moment. When Joshua stopped at another red light, the guy made his move. He reached into the window and grabbed Emil's phone right out of his hand before walking off.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi hates thecrime experiment

Social media users had mixed reactions to the experiment, with many sharing info to TikToker @l_keezy021 on where crime is worse:

@botlhale_j_motshwarakgole noticed:

"The legend is watching 😂"

@senwelo_gabriel_ditshego said:

"So the two guys knew what you were trying to do, and they gave you the right spot to do that."

@mononamus joked:

"Imagine all that work and the robber realises afterwards 😭😭😭"

@perrie warned:

"The problem is they have that demo to go and scam people, selling it like a real phone 🤦🏽‍♂️"

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@privatebanker laughed:

"He is so pissed after all the effort of running."

@nurrrrr shared:

"I literally saw how they grabbed the phone now the other night by the robot by the bridge 😂🤦🏽‍♂️"

@grobbies questioned:

"So you're not scared if they carry a weapon?"

@bblmelz suggested:

"Go to Browns Farm or Khayelitsha. No need for robots. They'll seize the phone during midday."

More on crime in SA

• Briefly News recently reported on Ensure Security Services suspending officers after they allegedly assaulted a homeless man in Durban.
• ActionSA plans to lay charges against Paul O'Sullivan over a R100k payment linked to Crime Intelligence.
• A video showed alleged criminals trying to hijack the wrong aunty in Cape Town, and she escaped by injuring them in the process.

Source: Briefly News