CCTV Footage Shows Supermarket Employee Picking Up Customer's Baby, Charged With Attempted Kidnapping

• A Meyersdal SuperSpar employee has been charged with attempted kidnapping after CCTV footage caught him picking up a baby and walking off with her
• The mother, Danielle Wolff, recounted the terrifying incident in a now-deleted Facebook post, saying she turned away for one second and her baby was gone
• The man claimed he meant no harm and picked the baby up because she was reacting for him, but was arrested and suspended

JOHANNESBURG – An employee of Meyesrdal SuperSpar has been charged with attempted kidnapping after CCTV footage showed him picking up and walking off with a customer’s baby.

The baby's mother recalled details of the terrifying incident in a now-deleted Facebook post. Danielle Wolff said the incident occurred while she was buying groceries on Sunday morning, 21 August.

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TimesLIVE reported that Wolff shared that she had placed the toddler in the trolly to free up her hands. She turned away from her baby to look for something, and when she turned back, the baby was gone.

Wolff posted:

“I look up, and she’s gone... I immediately look for her and find her in the arms of this man.”

The traumatised mom said she was able to grab the baby from the Spar employee’s arms and asked the man why he took her daughter.

The Citizen reported that the man laughed when Wolff confronted him and said the baby reached for him.

Wolff reported the incident to the manager. While he agreed that the employee was out of line for picking up the baby, he said that the employee reported that he meant no harm.

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The man was arrested for attempted kidnapping on Monday, 22 August, and has been suspended from his position at the SuperSpar. He has been released on bail and is expected back in court on 15 September.

South Africans react to the supposed attempted kidnapping in a supermarket

Most South Africans are convinced that the spar employee attempted to kidnap the 8-month-old baby. Here are some comments:

@Anon_cruiser said:

“I was wondering if that guy was working there! Sies man.”

@deroxrimez said:

“Yeah... he was stealing the child.”

@Nokulun66188298 refuted:

“He wasn't trying to kidnap the child. The joke was in bad taste considering the times we live in.”

@AracellisLyall commented:

“What is wrong with SA judicial system? The National Prosecuting Authority: he was released on bail and is due back in court on September 15. Released on bail where child trafficking is at stake?”

6-Year-old Shahnawaz Asghar’s kidnappers demand R800k ransom for his safe return

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In related news, Briefly News reported that the kidnappers of six-year-old Shahnawaz Asghar allegedly demanded a ransom of R800 000 for his return. However, it is unclear if the little boy’s parents paid the exorbitant amount.

Asghar was kidnapped at gunpoint near his home on Wednesday, 17 August and found unharmed. According to TimesLIVE, the assailants contacted the child’s mother, and police were able to trace the kidnappers through their cellphone.

Source: Briefly News