An alleged fraudster known for spinning tales of enticing but nonexistent specials at factories, butcheries and supermarkets has finally been arrested – after what some Korsten and Gelvandale residents said had been a year of elderly people being conned.
The 35-year-old was nabbed on Friday by a group of residents and taxi drivers just as she was allegedly about to strike again, Concerned Citizens of the PE Metro WhatsApp group chairperson Farouk Jephta said.
Police spokesperson Alwin Labans said the woman, who has not yet been named, would appear in court on Monday on a charge of fraud.
Jephta said he had appealed on the WhatsApp group for other victims to come forward.
“She was arrested in Durban Road and everyone is happy about that,” he said.
“She targeted mostly older people – the elderly.
“She would tell them of a nice special [at a supermarket or butchery] and if they trusted her [enough to hand over the money], she’d [allegedly] take their money, never to be seen again.
“Or she would go with them to the place, tell the people to wait for her, then disappear.”
Jephta said the “specials” were always for amounts between R100 and R1,000.
“She’s [allegedly] been ripping the Korsten and Gelvandale communities off for the past year or so now and there are a lot of people who have welcomed the fact she has now been arrested.
“It was so difficult to catch her because she was so elusive,” he said.
Gelvandale resident, who did not want to be named, said: “She [allegedly] ran away with my R600, telling me she’d bring me bags of meat.
“I’m disappointed to this day because she never arrived with the meat.”Another resident, Everyl Jacobs, said a neighbour of hers had fallen victim to the alleged con a month ago.
“We know it’s her because it’s always the same story,” Jacobs said.
“She told them of a R900 meat special at a butchery in town. My neighbour’s son went with her.
“He gave her the money and she got out of the car and ran across the street and got into a black bakkie which was waiting for her and disappeared.”
The alleged scammer was also discussed on the Stop Northern Areas Shootings’ Facebook page, where some users called her “die vleis aunty [the meat lady]”.
One Facebook user wrote: “I must let my brother know [she’s been arrested] because she conned him out of R600.”