Mugged twice in one day at OR Tambo
8 February 2010, 07:38
By Botho Molosankwe
A Botswana businesswoman who fell victim to crime twice in one day at OR Tambo International Airport believes there is a crime syndicate operating there.
Joyce Makuke's handbag was snatched while she inspected her suitcase's broken locks at the check-in counter last Tuesday evening.
She was about to board a flight to Nuremberg, Germany, when someone stole the bag, which contained jewellery, her ID book, passport, business-class air ticket, credit cards, driver's licence, 2 000 pula (about R2 297), R1 000, e450 (about R4 772) and ?80 (about R970).
She called for help, but security guards told her they had not seen anyone take her bag.
Makuke was fobbed off when she asked to see footage on the CCTV cameras. She was told the cameras were not working.
Makuke said police opened a case, took her statement and told her there was nothing more they could do.
She called her bank manager to cancel her cards. Before cancelling, the manager noticed that someone had withdrawn R3 000 at 7.40pm.
The person made three withdrawals of R1 000 each at a Nedbank ATM, then moved to FNB for more withdrawals, but was unsuccessful.
It was only when Constable Clement Mazibuko, who arrived for his shift five hours after the incident, took her to view the CCTV footage that she realised there had been foul play.
"I believe there is a connection between the people on the floor and the ones manning the cameras. How is it possible that they never saw a person stealing my bag, and then I am told later that the cameras are not working, when it was a lie?" the 58-year-old woman asked.
Mazibuko found Makuke, who could no longer board her flight because her passport and other documents had been stolen, sleeping at the station.
Makuke told him what had happened, including the claim about non-functioning cameras.
"Mazibuko told me it was a lie. This means there is a connection between those who stole the bag and those who lied to me about the cameras."
Mazibuko, Makuke and another policeman went to an office where they viewed the footage of cameras overlooking the Nedbank ATM. They saw someone, wearing a uniform, reaching for something in a bin of discarded receipts before making a withdrawal.
Makuke believes the man used that "paper" to make a withdrawal. She does not have any other explanation of how the thief could have known her PIN.
The three later went to view the footage of cameras at the check-in counter, where Makuke's bag had been stolen. They found the door locked.
Mazibuko went back a day later to view it. This time the cameras were working and he saw a man in civilian clothing stealing someone's bag.
"We tried to follow him, but he walked very fast out of the airport. I will take the copy of the footage to the Airports Company South Africa. They think the guy in the uniform works for one of the airlines, and I will have to go and interview their staff," he said.
Makuke, who had to arrange a temporary passport, returned to Botswana on Saturday.
A Botswana businesswoman who fell victim to crime twice in one day at OR Tambo International Airport believes there is a crime syndicate operating there.
Joyce Makuke's handbag was snatched while she inspected her suitcase's broken locks at the check-in counter last Tuesday evening.
She was about to board a flight to Nuremberg, Germany, when someone stole the bag, which contained jewellery, her ID book, passport, business-class air ticket, credit cards, driver's licence, 2 000 pula (about R2 297), R1 000, e450 (about R4 772) and ?80 (about R970).
She called for help, but security guards told her they had not seen anyone take her bag.
Makuke was fobbed off when she asked to see footage on the CCTV cameras. She was told the cameras were not working.
Makuke said police opened a case, took her statement and told her there was nothing more they could do.
She called her bank manager to cancel her cards. Before cancelling, the manager noticed that someone had withdrawn R3 000 at 7.40pm.
The person made three withdrawals of R1 000 each at a Nedbank ATM, then moved to FNB for more withdrawals, but was unsuccessful.
It was only when Constable Clement Mazibuko, who arrived for his shift five hours after the incident, took her to view the CCTV footage that she realised there had been foul play.
"I believe there is a connection between the people on the floor and the ones manning the cameras. How is it possible that they never saw a person stealing my bag, and then I am told later that the cameras are not working, when it was a lie?" the 58-year-old woman asked.
Mazibuko found Makuke, who could no longer board her flight because her passport and other documents had been stolen, sleeping at the station.
Makuke told him what had happened, including the claim about non-functioning cameras.
"Mazibuko told me it was a lie. This means there is a connection between those who stole the bag and those who lied to me about the cameras."
Mazibuko, Makuke and another policeman went to an office where they viewed the footage of cameras overlooking the Nedbank ATM. They saw someone, wearing a uniform, reaching for something in a bin of discarded receipts before making a withdrawal.
Makuke believes the man used that "paper" to make a withdrawal. She does not have any other explanation of how the thief could have known her PIN.
The three later went to view the footage of cameras at the check-in counter, where Makuke's bag had been stolen. They found the door locked.
Mazibuko went back a day later to view it. This time the cameras were working and he saw a man in civilian clothing stealing someone's bag.
"We tried to follow him, but he walked very fast out of the airport. I will take the copy of the footage to the Airports Company South Africa. They think the guy in the uniform works for one of the airlines, and I will have to go and interview their staff," he said.
Makuke, who had to arrange a temporary passport, returned to Botswana on Saturday.
- This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on February 08, 2010
Pretoria
