Pretoria ‘cops’ bust for extortion

A police reservist and three patrollers at Pretoria Central have been arrested in connection with kidnapping and extortion, after a man they allegedly swindled positively identified them.

“According to the complainant, aged 38 years old, on Tuesday at around 11am, one female dressed in police uniform and three males dressed in private clothes approached him while he was sitting inside his car at the corner of Pretorius and Lilian Ngoyi Street,” said police spokesperson Captain Augustinah Selepe.

“It is alleged that the suspects knocked at the window of the complainant’s car, they then asked for his driver’s licence and they told him that it was a fake. He was then taken to home affairs to verify his passport and permit. The complaint was informed by the suspects that his passport was fraudulent.

“In the end, the suspects demanded R3 500 and went with the complainant to withdraw money from an ATM.”