WATCH: Elderly woman steals phone from customer helping her
It's true when they say, you cannot trust anyone.
More and more crimes are focused on taking advantage of people's kindness. This is accompanied by criminals not fitting into a stereotypical description, making it harder to distinguish between good and bad intentions.
A video shared on the SA_Crime page on X made us question the motives of people asking for help. As a community and a nation, many people have been brought up to extend a helping hand.
But offering a hand of kindness can sometimes put you in a vulnerable position, especially when criminals are becoming more inventive in their approach. This makes it more challenging for everyday people who sometimes get victimised for their kindness.
In the video, we see a woman trying to help an older woman at a supermarket. The younger woman reaches for something on the top shelf inside a fridge. Meanwhile, the older woman stands close by and digs into the younger woman's handbag.
The unsuspecting woman doesn't realise what's happening, as the older woman quickly steps back after getting her hands on the phone. The victim then closes the fridge and walks off, unaware that her phone is gone.
It did seem confusing as she didn't hand her anything from the fridge. So, we assume that the older woman might've told her she changed her mind and to leave the item.
Watch the video below from X.
Someone said crime has no age.
— CrimeInSA (@sa_crime) May 14, 2025
Lets find her pic.twitter.com/GRZSemjzYl
One person noted, "It's shocking how many more women are involved in crime these days. Besides having more of them employed through BBBEE women's empowerment, I've noticed them in Fraudulent Home Affairs, stealing, Nepotism, and Murder for insurance policies. Times are changing, hey!!!"
Many others commented on the age of the woman who stole the phone, some noting that crime has no age limit.
Regardless, we should always be aware and careful because the definition of a criminal is not set in stone.
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Image Courtesy of X