Protected ******* - PEP Heathway Square

<p>On the 7th or 8th of December, my mom and daugher went to PEP Heathway Square to do their Christmas shopping. Upon entrance of the shop, the security guard at the door approached my daughter who was walking just behind my mom, holding my mom's one of two handbags and told the child to take the bag to the parcel counter. Being a child, she did as she was told.</p> <p> </p> <p>When my mom and daughter finished shopping, my mom's handbag was nowhere to be found. My mom then asked the security and shop manager (Dorothy i think is her name) why he had asked the child to put the handbag in the parcel counter in the first place. To my mom's suprise both the security and manager started being rude to her and asked her to leave the shop and instead GO and report to the the police.</p> <p> </p> <p>My mom then proceeded to the police and the following day the police came to PEP and confronted both the security and manager about the missing bag and its contents worth almost a R1000. The police then asked to see a footage of that particular day and time so as to ascertain exactly how the bag and its contents went missing. The manager refused and said that they could not open the footage unless a formal police report had been made and a case number issued.</p> <p> </p> <p>Now this comes as a suprise to me especially in the wake of the events of the day. Surely if there was nothing to conceal from the happenings of the day then was there so much red tape around the theft.</p> <p> </p> <p>Unfortunately my mom could not open a police case due to time constraints as she looks after 4 AIDS orphans and she does not have the luxury of time to be out and about.</p> <p> </p> <p>What saddens me is this is the only time of the year that my mom can afford to buy luxuries for herself and to think that security and a manager of the shop have gone all out to disguise and conceal a crime within their premises is disgusting.</p> <p> </p> <p>This is violence again an old woman and in the wake of this month of activism against such, l humbly request that this crime be not swept under the carpet.</p> <p> </p> <p>This security and manager must surely answer for their actions. Security is fully aware that handbags are never left at the parcel counter and therefore why did he take advantage of the situation by hoodwinking my daugher into doing so. Your shop manager really needs to advise as to why she declined that the footage of the day be viewed by the police if there was nothing to hide??</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>