Police have warned residents of Nhlangano and the nation against strangers who approach them with envelopes containing papers they claim are money and ask that they deliver them to other people in exchange for leaving their valuables as assurance.
The warning follows reports of people opening robbery cases after allegedly falling victim to the scheme, in which they leave their cellphones and other belongings with strangers before being sent on errands. Upon returning, they reportedly discover that the people who approached them have disappeared with their valuables.
Detective Constable Nomcebo Nxumalo said the suspects were targeting young children and people unfamiliar with Nhlangano town, taking advantage of their limited knowledge of the area to lure them into the scheme.
She explained that the suspects would approach their targets and ask them to deliver envelopes to other people, claiming that the envelopes contained money when they actually held papers.
Nxumalo said victims were persuaded to leave their valuables behind as assurance that they would return after completing the errands.
However, the suspects would disappear with the belongings while the victims were away.
She said the police were urging members of the public to remain focused on the reasons they had travelled to town and avoid entertaining strangers who approached them with such offers.
Nxumalo cautioned people against trusting individuals unknown to them, particularly when they were asked to leave their belongings in exchange for carrying out errands.
She encouraged the public to exercise caution when approached by strangers and to avoid handing over their valuables to anyone under such circumstances.
