This man has been in Obs on a regular basis for the last two or so years, but has only tried the doll selling enterprise with me (I hated them so didn't buy). ____________________________________________________________
MICHAEL G. R. KEMPEN ----- Original Message ----- From: David Raphael To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, July 06, 2009 6:21 AM Subject: [obsnw] Have we seen this con artist See this Rondebosch warning David Raphael 072 065 7223 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: Gill Lanham [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 05 July 2009 05:17 PM To: John and Gill Lanham Subject: RNW newsflash 119 -" Bandana Man" back in Alma Rd Dear Residents I am afraid that the "Bandana Man", managed to con an Alma Rd resident last week. Please see report below. I am attaching the photo and report sent by an Alma Rd resident last year. As reported, I have seen him on a number of occasions at the Alma Cafe. If anyone is prepared to lay a charge, we can call the police. If not, we can only warn people. "I have felt so foolish about this that I haven't wanted to write at all, but lest others be conned, feel I'd better.. Last week there was a ring at the door and a young man (white, mid-30ish, alternatively dressed and with piercings and a bandanna) told me he was one of a group of artists in Hout Bay working to empower people in the informal settlement by having them make 'dolls' out of recycled materials. He persuaded me to come to the gate to see what he meant and I was suitably impressed by the ingenuity and creativity so that I bought one. I did ask him how it was that if he was selling them on behalf of others, how come he had only one. He had a quick response, part of which I've forgotten, but part of which was that he had been robbed previously when carrying too many. The doll has graced our lounge and I have enjoyed its presence, feeling that even if the story were not wholly true, this was a creative venture and worthy of support. A couple of days later I was surprised by the same young man at the gate saying he was now housesitting in the area and while moving into the house the door had slammed shut in the wind with the house keys inside. He protested he felt very foolish. Could I please phone his sister to ask her to bring his spare keys. At least I did not hand over the phone but phoned the number myself only to find that it went straight to voice mail with no facility to leave a message. Then, of course, he asked if I could help him with R40.00 to get to Hout Bay to collect the spare keys. He took off a cord round his neck from which dangled various talismans(men?) and offered this to me as security. He said he would return that afternoon. Completely gullible, I said, no, that I didn't need 'security'. (In hindsight, of course, why would he have spare keys in HB if he were housesitting in Rosebank..?) Needless to say I have not seen the R40.00 or the young man and the affection for the doll has palled more than a little... Just to add that he was persuasive in an understated sort of way and had very slick answers for any queries. This was last year's report: "I have attached a photo of a gentleman who has done me out of R30: On Sunday 26th of October he came to our house and requested R50 to get a taxi back to Hout bay to get keys for the house he claimed to be sitting (no. 37 Alma Rd). I gave him R30 as I had bought a hand-made doll from him a few weeks back & we had a good conversation at the time. He said he would reimburse me the same evening he took the money- of course he has not returned to date. Kindly circulate the photo to alert the RNW (taken with his knowledge as a precaution on the day he received the money) of this situation/forward information on where I might be able to contact the gentleman." regards Gill Lanham ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
<<inline: image001.gif>>
