A 36-year-old white man from Tshwane is recovering after being shot in a Facebook Marketplace scam gone wrong in Winterveld.
The incident happened on Saturday, 14 September. The victim, who was lured by a VW Polo for sale advert, was ambushed and shot by six men.
Tshwane Man Shot and Robbed in Facebook Marketplace Scam
The Daily Sun reported that the man, who had travelled with his girlfriend and three friends to buy the car, had arranged to transfer R27,000 after completing the deal. Unaware that he had fallen into a scam known as “skanai,” he waited on the street for nearly an hour before the attackers struck.
“I waited from around 12.20 pm on the streets. Many people passed by. The scammers told me they would send a boy to fetch me from the car. After waiting for almost an hour, I was approached by nearly six men. Another man, who was holding a firearm, shot me in the chest.“
The injured victim was rushed to a local clinic before being transferred to Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, where he was discharged on 18 September.
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The traumatised victim vowed never to return to Winterveld.
“I’m recovering at home but still in pain. I was the only one injured. Others are okay,” he added.
Police Confirm The Shooting
Major-General Samuel Thine, Tshwane District Police Commissioner, revealed that three suspects had been arrested later that day. The Police Stabilisation Task Team found the suspects with a pellet gun, linking them to this and another robbery involving a R500,000 theft during a similar car purchase scam.
“The person was coming from Clermont to buy a VW Polo. He was shot and taken to Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital,” Thine said.
In a separate but related bust, 11 suspects, including ten adults and a minor, were arrested in August for online robberies and hijackings in the Winterveld area.
According to Warrant Officer Johan van Dyk, Tshwane District Police spokesperson,
“The tracing of 11 suspects was carried out with precision, and the unsuspecting individuals were apprehended without resistance.”