Viral TikTok captures arrest of phone thief at ABSA Run Your City Durban
Image: screenshot
A Durban woman was arrested at the weekend after allegedly stealing cellphones from runners who took part in the ABSA Run Your City Series.
The 10km race took place on Sunday, July 13, between Suncoast and Golden Mile.
A video of the woman's arrest on TikTok has garnered over 53,400 likes, over 12,000 reposts, and over 1.9 million views.
In the 10-second video, the woman who has been arrested is being loaded into the back of a police van.
The woman filming the incident can be heard saying: 'Absa race, all our phones got stolen. Look at this.....She needs to be banned from the race'.
According to one of the victims, the woman had cut bags throughout the race and stolen the cell phones of those running.
Police recovered six cell phones in the woman's possession. Victims managed to track down the thief using Apple technology to find their iPhones.
The provincial police spokesperson, Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, confirmed the incident.
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'Police in Durban Central have arrested a 56-year-old woman for possession of items suspected to be stolen, following an incident in which the woman allegedly stole cell phones on July 13, 2025, on Jelf Taylors Street,' Ngcobo said.
The woman has already appeared in court.
'The suspect appeared before the Durban Magistrate's Court on Monday, July 14, 2025, and she was remanded in custody. She is due to appear again before court on July 21, 2025,' Ngcobo said.
The race saw 10,000 runners participate.
The marathon proudly supports the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) as the official charity of the entire series of events.
The next leg of the series will take place in Tshwane on Sunday, August 24, and Johannesburg on Wednesday, September 24.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL
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