Woman’s car gets stolen at Centurion car wash
Photo source: Twitter screen grab (@MsWickkk)
WATCH: Woman’s car gets STOLEN at car wash
Motorists are being warned of car washes as criminals are targeting them to steal cars, as was the case with one woman recently
Woman’s car gets stolen at Centurion car wash
Photo source: Twitter screen grab (@MsWickkk)
South African motorists are once again being warned to be wary of car washes as criminals are targeting them to steal their cars. In a recent incident, a Pretoria woman shared a video of a man being handed keys to her mother’s vehicle at a car wash in Centurion.
According to the woman, who took to Twitter, a man on the phone approached an employee at the car wash and handed them the phone. The supposed perpetrator claimed the person on the phone was the owner of the car and had been sent to fetch it.
“Please help guys. My mothers car was stolen. My father dropped the car at ON THE GO Car wash and Valet in Centurion. A white man came talking on the phone and gave the guy the phone and claimed it was the owner of the car (my dad) on the phone and he sent him to fetch the car,” she tweeted.
MOTORISTS WARNED TO BE WARY OF CAR WASHES
There has been a wave of reactions to the woman’s story, including fellow motorists who also discouraged people from leaving their vehicles alone at the car wash.
@mdazer wrote: “The reason I don’t leave car at a car wash. How did he know that the owner is not there.”
In response, the woman said: “My parents wash there every Saturday without fail. So he has probably been watching him for a while.”
While @k_rage wrote: “How the hell do they give a stranger someone’s car, how sure was he that the person on the phone was the owner,in 2023, while there are so many scams. That was very stupid/negligent of the Carwash to just give the car away. Something doesn’t add up”
NEW CAR THEFT TREND ON THE RISE
A criminal expert told IOL that criminals often study their victims beforehand, including motorists at car washes. In some instances, they have inside information about regular customers from employees at the car washes, which then makles stealing the car easier.
“Public spaces such as shopping centres need to be more strict with their security. People also have an option with some tracking devices where they are alerted when their car starts and when it stops regardless of the interference gadgets used by criminals so people should activate such options so they are able to avert car theft,” said Calvin Rafadi.
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