Granny busted for stealing pies

Two Woolies pies turned out to be a Western Cape granny's biggest nightmare. They landed her behind bars at the Paarl police station two weeks ago.

Petra de Swardt did her regular grocery shopping at the Woolworths at Paarl Mall on July 23.

The 62-year-old claims she paid for her groceries but forgot about two pies she had put next to her handbag in the trolley.

As she was leaving the store, a security guard stopped her to search the trolley. Next thing, the police were on their way.

She appeared in the Paarl Magistrate's Court this week for shoplifting. The case was postponed to November. Her lawyer, Chris Nel, said yesterday that his client would plead not guilty.

The ordeal has left the breast cancer survivor traumatised.

"She is battling emotionally for obvious reasons. She is a regular shopper at Woolworths."

De Swardt's story made headline news in the Boland town.

Though she insists that it is all a big misunderstanding, Woolies is not letting her off lightly.

Glenn Gilzean, director of retail operations for Woolworths Group, said all suspicious incidents were investigated.

"Woolworths takes crime very seriously and reports all cases of alleged theft to law-enforcement agencies for further investigation in order to protect our customers, employees and Woolworths property," said Gilzean.

"Our approach to in-store security, which includes visible security and selected CCTV surveillance, is effective and has contributed to a decline in in-store criminal activity."

He said the allegation against De Swardt was reported to the police to investigate and it would be left to the authorities to "take the [appropriate] action".

De Swardt told a Paarl newspaper that the cashier saw the pies in her trolley.

Instead of asking her about them, he alerted the security guard.

"Woolworths will be reviewing the footage from our CCTV cameras to assess the claims made against our employees. We will then consider appropriate action," said Gilzean.

Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said De Swardt was arrested and held for two hours.