WATCH | Think you're safe? 5 times brazen thieves got away with it
Think you've locked your car? Or that your handbag is safe under that restaurant table? Well, think again.
We look back at five times in 2018 that SA thieves reminded us that nowhere is safe.
1. Is your car locked? This sneaky thief will make you think again
CCTV footage showed how a thief casually walked around a parked vehicle and cracked open the back door. He holds it open as the unaware driver gets out of the vehicle and walks away, thinking his car doors are locked.
The thief rummages inside the vehicle for less than a minute before making off with his ill-gotten gains.
2. Thief uses clever trick to steal handbag from 'locked' car
With a quick yank of a handle, your "locked" car can soon become a thief's shopping ground.
A woman can be seen getting out of her vehicle as a man approaches from behind. As she turns to lock the car, he casually reaches out and yanks the backdoor open. He strolls on by as the oblivious driver heads off, unaware that with a door open, her central locking has not engaged.
A few seconds later he does a u-turn, heading back to the car while pretending to talk on his phone. He waits for the all clear, then opens the back door and pillages a handbag from the vehicle.
3. Thief snatches cellphone from man’s pocket in seconds
CCTV footage revealed that it can take just 31 seconds for your phone to be snatched while you're trying to enjoy a meal.
In the video, the suspect seems to be speaking to someone on his phone. Then, as he hangs up, he walks up to the victim and nonchalantly grabs the man's cellphone from his shirt pocket and takes flight.
The video could not be loaded.
4. Thief steals handbag right out of shopping trolley
CCTV footage caught a brazen criminal's casual theft of a woman's handbag right out of her trolley as she browsed through the clothing racks at the Galleria shopping mall in Durban.
The woman can be seen reaching for the bag in the trolley before she walks away with a man who appears to be her accomplice.
The video could not be loaded.
5. Thieves so brazen they'll steal your phone while you're using it
CCTV footage of a robber grabbing a cellphone from a man while he was speaking on it surfaced on social media.