Magenta Security nabs sticky fingers barman at Hutten Heights pub

A seemingly ordinary night of relaxation for two Dundee farmers at a popular bar in Hutten Heights, Newcastle took an unexpected turn. This followed the pub’s barman being apprehended by Magenta Security a few days later for stealing one of the farmer’s phones.

Deon Laubscher from Magenta Security provided details of the incident, which transpired on the evening of Friday, 29 September 2023, when the two farmers ventured into Newcastle for a social evening.

Convening at the local pub in Hutten Heights, the farmers settled at the bar, relishing a drink and each other’s company.

While engaged in conversation, the barman commenced cleaning the bar. During this opportune moment, he stealthily seized one of the farmer’s phones, discreetly placing it behind the bar, before transferring it into his pocket. Shortly thereafter, the farmers realised the phone was missing.

“They began searching for the phone, and the barman even joined their search,” stated Laubscher. He added that when the phone remained elusive, the distressed farmers sought assistance from Magenta Security to trace their valuable device.

It was at this point that events took a dramatic turn. “We initiated investigations, and CCTV footage showed who the suspect was.” According to the footage, the trusted barman was captured snatching the phone,” told Laubscher.

With concrete evidence of the cunning barman’s actions, the bar’s management, in collaboration with Laubscher and his colleagues Ruan Bretagne and Mark Meyer, devised a plan to apprehend the culprit. Whereby, the operation was executed on 4 October 2023.

Laubscher described the operation, stating, “He was called in by his boss, who asked him to come in and work that day, as they were busy, and another barman was unable to come into work. When he arrived for work, we approached him and asked where the phone was.”

Initially denying involvement in the theft, the barman eventually surrendered his backpack upon being confronted with the video evidence presented by the Magenta Security team and the bar’s management. Subsequently, the stolen phone was found in the backpack.

Although the barman’s motives for stealing the R23 000 phone remain unclear, Magenta Security handed him over to the police, leading to the official opening of a criminal case against him.

As the implicated individual faces impending criminal charges, residents are urged to exercise vigilance and avoid leaving valuables exposed to potential theft.

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