Local raises alarm on suspected phone thief in PMB
The art of distraction is a cunning skill that most thieves have perfected, so even when they steal from you, you may only realise it until after the fact.
Have you watched the movie Focus, starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie? It gives a behind-the-scenes look at the tricks of pickpockets, revealing how skilled they are at pulling off their crimes.
The film doesn't exactly paint a comforting picture of the world, as it leaves the paranoid wondering just who they could trust. The central message? You can’t trust anyone – even the most trusted-looking person might be running a con on you.
A Pietermaritzburg resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared his experience of falling victim to a pickpocket. This incident has motivated him not only to expose the group of men targeting people's phones but also to help others avoid becoming victims of this seemingly simple crime with serious consequences.
These pickpockets are different from the usual "para" criminals you might encounter – they're far more subtle, making their crimes appear almost innocent.
The victim, who goes by the TikTok handle Willow the German Shepherd, posted a video showing how a pickpocket casually took his phone from his pocket without him even noticing.
He explained that the incident occurred on March 13, 2025, at Mkondeni Star and Garter General Dealer in Pietermaritzburg. The pickpocket walked into the store and struck up a conversation with him about the woman in the video – the store manager.
The thief created a distraction by saying the woman would tap his foot and then stomp on his shoe. That was all part of the ruse to distract him while he stole his phone.
He recalled smelling alcohol on the perpetrator’s breath and feeling uncomfortable with the man’s close proximity. However, he assumed the man was a friend of the manager and didn’t raise any suspicions until it was too late.
He remembers questioning the man when he stepped on his shoe.
@willow_thegerman_shepard #kzncrime #fypcriminalofsouthafrica #fypstolenphone #fypDurban #fypPietermaritzburg #fypthievesinSouthAfrica ♬ original sound - willow the german shepard
After posting the video, the victim discovered that the woman in the footage, the store manager, had security cameras around her shop.
Upon reviewing the footage, they uncovered something unsettling: while the perpetrator was busy stealing the victim's phone, another man – allegedly part of the same syndicate – was outside, executing the same trick to steal the manager's husband's phone.
A third video sent to the victim reveals another shocking incident: a man, said to be a cleaner, also fell victim to pickpocketing.
This victim shared that his phone wasn’t insured, and it was a
brand-new Samsung that his wife had gifted him for his birthday.
Naturally, he was furious when the phone's tracking device revealed its
location at the Mangrove Centre in North Beach, Durban, where he
suspects the thief lives.
The phone's location then changed to a shop on West Street, Durban. Even though the man reported the incident and the police investigated the West Street lead, they were unable to recover his phone.
On social media, users have dubbed the pickpocketing technique a "two-finger" move, which refers to when someone steals from your pocket without you even noticing.
Watch the second video posted, where the store manager's husband falls victim to another pickpocketer – courtesy of TikTok.
@willow_thegerman_shepard #fypthievesinSouthAfrica #fypPietermaritzburg #fypDurban #fypstolenphone #fypcriminalofsouthafrica #kzncrime ♬ Situasi Darurat - Luwla Sound
The victim is furious that these men are getting away with what might seem like a minor crime, but one that carries serious consequences, much like more high-level offences.
He expressed his desire to share as much information as possible about the men in the video, hoping it would help others avoid falling victim to this deceptive crime.
Check out another video sent to him of the original alleged perpetrator stealing a phone from the cleaner's pocket – a video courtesy of TikTok.
@willow_thegerman_shepard #kzncrime #fypcriminalofsouthafrica #fypstolenphone #fypDurban #fypPietermaritzburg #fypthievesinSouthAfrica #Mobeni #tavern #enoughisenough ♬ original sound - willow the german shepard
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