Stealing by deception on the rise – Police

The rapid increase of bought live demo units and floor tiles designed in portable phone formats has lately hit the country badly, especially in towns and cities. Thousands of pulas are being lost to criminals who are thriving in the business of selling neatly cut floor tiles, bricks, boxes and demonstration phones to the community. Although the cocky behaviour appears to be a countrywide phenomenon, Gaborone City Centre is the root of all evil.

The City Centre is where all tribes meet and unfortunately where the majority get robbed in different ways too. Perpetrators are usually spotted on the northern end of the Gaborone bus terminus and also near mobile phone outlets.

The conniving thieves offer victims lucrative deals under the pretence of selling legitimate products. They often pretend to desperately need cash hence the reason for selling their phones. However, they sneakily exchange the phones they use as demonstration for fake material put in smart phone covers after convincing the customer to buy from them.

Borakanelo Police Station Commander Superintendent Mothusi Phadi said a lot of people have been conned in this way at the Bus Station. He said they have recorded close to six cases this year in his area, the City Centre and Old Naledi surrounding areas but positive that there are other registered similar cases in different police stations. Phadi said many of the victims hardly come forward to report such cases over fear of being interrogated by the police. “It is an offence to buy stolen goods and reporting will expose them of engaging in illegal activities,” he said

. He advised that people be on the lookout for expensive gadgets such as iPhones, “Those are usually demonstration phones displayed at different phone outlets, they have no memory and no SIM slot but most of them can take about one picture. They are usually written ‘not for sale’ at the back,” he cautioned.