Caught on camera stealing R12 000 phone

GEORGE NEWS - A client of the local printing outlet Jetline surprised everyone when he seized an opportunity to steal a cellphone, worth R12 000, from the shop's counter.

What he did not know was that the whole incident was captured on a closed circuit television camera.

According to Greig Fleet, the director of Jetline, this is the third time in the last two years that a cellphone has been taken in his shop. This incident happened around 12:00 on Tuesday 5 August, on Jetline's premises on the corner of York and CJ Langenhoven streets.
"I know this guy. He's been here a few times to do some printing," said Fleet.

"I'm not sure if he came to be helped, and saw an opportunity, or if he came to steal something."

According to Fleet, he was busy talking to a client on his Samsung Note 3, when a phone rang at the back of the shop.
"I put down my phone on the counter to get the other one. In hindsight it was not a smart move," he said.

While Fleet was talking to another customer in the back, the suspect entered and waited by the counter.

"At that stage everybody was busy. The moment someone walked up to him to help him, he was already walking out of the shop," said Fleet.

"I only realised about 15 minutes afterwards that my phone was gone. We then checked the cameras and saw what happened."
"I don't care so much about the phone, it's losing all the contacts and photos on it that hurts," said Fleet.

He has reported the incident to the police, blocked the phone and Sim card and blacklisted the phone.