A while ago a black guy came into Rusties’s offices wanting to find out more about the advertising packages that we offer. He said that his “brother” has a courier business and wants to advertise. I gave him all the necessary information with all the paperwork and he said he’ll get back to me. He was very friendly and well dressed.
When I told Antonie about this, he said that the guy has been there before and just had a uncertain feeling about him. I thought he was being paranoid and ignored it.
Yesterday at about 13:25pm, he showed up at the office again but this time had another black male with him. I immediately felt uncomfortable but allowed them in. I was alone at the office but was speaking to Antonie on Skype. He told me that the fax number I gave him wasn’t working so I phoned Antonie. Antonie said that that was impossible and gave me the number again to give to him.
I did notice that he was wearing the same clothes as before, but was still very neat. His phone rang a few times and he kept on going outside and coming back in. I couldn’t understand what he was talking about all the time because he spoke in his language (going to learn more languages). I began to feel uneasy and just started praying, asking God to protect me.
After all the ‘chit-chat’, they stood up and said they were leaving and will return the following day with his ‘brother’, contract signed and everything.
As I stood up, the one that has been there before, asked me for a glass of water. I thought about pouring water out of my water bottle on my desk, but decided to rather go get him some out of the tap.
After handing him the water, I noticed his friend was gone, now I really started wondering. And as if something was warning me, I went to look if everything was still on my desk as I had left it. Somehow I heard my cell phone receiving a message and looked at where it was, but it was gone.
Just then the last guy walked out of the office. I called him back a few times, ( he said his name was Thabo ), but I saw he was reluctant to come back in. I realized he wasn’t coming back in, so I went outside. I asked him where his friend was and he said he didn’t know. I then saw him a few meters away talking on his cell phone. As soon as I called to him he started walking away from me faster. I grabbed the one closest to me by his arm and said that I know they took my cell phone and I want it back. Both of them started running now and I ran after them, screaming as I ran and shouting that I wanted my phone back. When we ran around the corner I saw that the one guy was getting into a red 1400 Nissan bakkie with a white canopy while it was driving slowly. I realized then that I was 100% correct and didn’t know what I would do if they got in the bakkie, maybe jump on it. By this time a lot of people heard me screaming and saw what was happening.
As the second guy tried to get into the bakkie, a lady and her mother driving a white Uno, drove in front of them causing an accident but also causing them to stop. As they started getting out of the bakkie ( I assume to run away ), the police who was close by and also witnessing what was happening, stopped right next to them. The guy who came to the office, pretended that he wasn’t involved and was trying to help me, but I knew this wasn’t the case. The guy driving the bakkie said he didn’t know what was going on and just saw someone was trying to get into the bakkie. Why drove so slow then?
I picked my phone up from the ground, under the bakkie ( obliviously where he dropped it so that he wouldn’t be caught with it) and phoned Antonie. I was terribly shocked, so I could only get out the necessary words. He rushed as soon as he can, thinking something had happened to me, because let’s face it, that is 99% of the time the case.
A white male stopped in his car behind us ( by this time there were so many people around us ), and said that the guy driving the car just stole his cell phone out of his office with another accomplis. The police took them all in custody and asked us to go to the police to give a statement.
We did go to the police station and after I asked the Inspector what was going to be done, he said that they will detain them, but they will probably get bail, but if the other person would also lay a charge, the case would be stronger.
It’s scary to think that they might be free again right now and could possibly come back because I got them caught, but as God protected me then and know that he will do so now. We really serve an awesome God!
After everything calmed down a bit, I checked my cell phone for the sms I heard coming through when I realized my phone was missing, but there wasn’t anything on it. The last sms I received was before the incident had happened…
I was really lucky. I didn’t get hurt ( at all ), I got my property back and the thieves were caught! But there are many people who do get robbed daily, but are not so lucky.
As I was running and screaming after them, I wondered if anyone would even help because I know that sometimes we just sit by and watch because we don’t want to get ‘involved’. But you know what, we need to get involved, we need to be there for each other. So many people were just supporting me on the scene and phoning me afterwards to hear if I was ok. I know of a lady that drove in front of another moving vehicle, just to help me. How many people do you know that would do that for a stranger? And are you one of them?
Even if we think laying charges, etc. won’t help, we need to do as much as possible to get these kind of people of the streets.
So guys please be more careful and try to avoid that the same thing happens to you, they literally rob us before our very own eyes. And try to help where you can, as you have read, it does pay-off.
I’m Corne Bosman and I refuse to be a victim of crime!
Who’s with me?!