An elderly woman from Kraaifontein North was recently robbed in her house by two men pretending to be City of Cape Town employees coming to put in a new electricity meter.
Ria Conradie (73) says she suspected nothing until it was too late, leaving her frightened and in shock.
“Two men knocked on the door saying they were there to check whether they need to install a new meter. They both had bands arounds their necks with their photos on and were holding what looked like official documents, so I let them in,” says Conradie.
“After going to the kitchen to check on the meter they told me they had to check the plugs in all the rooms. In my bedroom, where all my jewellery were on the table they tried to lure me out to go to the lounge. It is then that I realised they were going to rob me. I became ice cold and was paralysed with fear as I stood alone there between the two men in my bedroom. I kept calm and walked to the lounge as I heard my jewellery clink against the glass container as they emptied it. I stayed in the lounge and played along waiting until they left my house and then started screaming to my neighbours for help,” she says.
Conradie says they left in a white vehicle.
They were both dressed in blue overalls with green neon stripes.
The City of Cape Town last week warned residents to be aware of fake electricity officials.
“The City’s electricity department is not carrying out any surveys and when the City needs to do checks on electricity meters, officials will make the necessary appointment with the resident,” a spokesperson for the City says.
Furthermore, municipal workers and contractors must carry a work order number specific to that dwelling and a City-issued identification card.
The City urges residents to please ask to check the official’s identification card before allowing anyone onto their property.
“The identification card must display the City’s logo, the name and surname of the staff member or mandated contractor and must contain an embedded photo of the staff member or mandated contractor,” says the spokesperson.
The public may verify whether visitors to their home are in fact employed by the City by phoning the call centre on 0860 103 089 to confirm whether work is being carried out in the area. Only after this verification should they allow anyone onto their property.
Any suspicious behaviour must be reported to the City’s law enforcement agencies or the City’s Fraud Hotline on 0800 323 130 and the police.
