A Blue Downs man claims a fake cop stole his R36 000 vintage KWV wyn collection.
The man, who is in his 50s and doesn’t wish to be named, said he came in contact with the ‘officer’ after he posted an advert on Facebook Marketplace to sell six bottels KWV Red Port.
“I placed an ad on Facebook Marketplace in the vintage wine section. For three weeks this guy was hounding me not to sell it to anybody,” he explained.
He says he met the ‘buyer’ at his house in Blue Downs on May 1, where he showed off his collection which included a rare 1939 rooi Port.
“He came to my house and he didn’t look like a wine collector like he said, but then again, you can’t judge.
“I showed him the wines, the value of the wine in my house was about R40 000.
“There’s a 39 and you don’t get a 39, they are only available at KWV,” he added.
But the ou said alles then went downhill as the buyer skielik wysed a police badge and claimed he was from the SAPS’ Asset Forfeiture Unit.
“He said he is here to forfeit the wines and that other policemen were waiting for his call to pounce on the house and arrest me.
“Because my son and my wife were at home and I didn’t want to put them in danger, I gave him the wine.
“We went outside and he said he needs to book it in at a police station.
“He insisted that he hold onto the wine and that I show him where the nearest police station was,” the man told the Daily Voice.
The man said he drove ahead of the ‘officer’ but noticed after the first traffic circle that he was not being followed anymore, and realised he had been taken for a ride.
He opened a police case and described the scammer as a coloured man, in his 30s, and of medium height.
“He looked respectable and was dressed like a detective, in jeans, a shirt and a black jacket. He was driving a grey Toyota.”
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie confirmed a case of theft is under investigation.
“We can confirm that a case of theft was laid at the Kleinvlei SAPS earlier this week following a theft of a collection of wine to the value of R36 000.
“The unknown suspect allegedly presented a police identification, which still needs to be verified, and took the collection of six bottles of KWV Port wine without paying for it,” he says.”
byron.lukas@inl.co.za