Tsotsi Gogos Target Learners in Benoni
In a bizarre twist straight out of a crime thriller, elderly women; dubbed “tsotsi gogos”; are targeting schoolchildren for their cell phones.
These crafty women, in their 50s or older, are preying on pupils walking to and from school, snatching phones from teens young enough to be their grandkids.
The tsotsi gogos target pupils walking to and from school, snatching their cell phones before fleeing, often jumping into getaway cars, making it difficult to catch them.
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Warning to Pupils: Stay Alert Around Tsotsi Gogos
Captain Nomsa Sekele, spokesperson for Benoni Police, confirmed that they’ve received several reports from pupils and their parents in the Northmead area of Benoni, Ekurhuleni. She issued a warning, urging students to stay alert and avoid using their phones in the street.
“We urge pupils to be vigilant and not use their cellphones in the street or lend them to strangers,” Sekele said.
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How the ‘Tsotsi Gogos’ in Benoni Operate: Tricks and Getaway Tactics
In one recent incident, a “tsotsi gogo” approached a high school student with a story that her phone had run out of battery and she needed to borrow his. Trusting her as an older woman, the student handed over his phone. Moments later, a car pulled up, and the elderly woman jumped in, speeding away with the boy’s phone. Shocked, the student tried to give chase, but the car, driven by another elderly accomplice, disappeared quickly.
“Recently, a high school pupil was targeted by an elderly woman who approached him, claiming her phone was flat and asked to borrow his to call her relatives as she was stranded. The pupil, trusting her as an elderly woman, lent her his phone, only to see a getaway car stopping in front of them. The ‘stranded’ woman jumped in and fled with his cellphone. He tried to chase the car driven by another gogo, but it sped off,” Captain Sekele said.
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The Search for the Syndicate: Police Investigation Underway
After the incident, the pupil returned home and informed his gogo, who accompanied him to the Benoni Police Station to report the theft.
This isn’t an isolated case; in October, another pupil fell victim to the same tactics employed by these elderly phone thieves.
Captain Sekele confirmed that police are actively searching for the suspects, who are believed to be part of a larger syndicate.