A man whose cellphone snatching exploits went viral on social media has been arrested in Hillbrow, following a Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) Tactical Response Unit operation that also netted three alleged accomplices believed to be part of a wider stolen-phone syndicate.
JMPD officials said the 26-year-old Zimbabwean national was tracked to a residential flat in Hillbrow on Tuesday, after officers received information linking him to multiple phone theft incidents across Gauteng. In the now-widely circulated video, the suspect is seen grabbing a woman’s cellphone before sprinting away.
Officers conducted a search of the property and found the suspect hiding on the balcony. He was allegedly in possession of a cellphone he could not explain. Preliminary investigations later tied him to several phone snatching cases around the province, as well as the March 2025 hijacking of an off-duty JMPD member. Police further linked him to the use of a Toyota Corolla with cloned registration plates, allegedly used during some of the crimes.
As the operation unfolded, the Tactical Response Unit followed additional leads, which resulted in the arrest of three Bangladeshi nationals on Wanderers Street in Johannesburg Central. The men are suspected of "flushing" — reprogramming or wiping — stolen cellphones to make them harder to trace. JMPD officers also seized equipment believed to have been used in this process.
The primary suspect was taken to Hillbrow SAPS and charged with possession of suspected stolen property. The three alleged accomplices were detained at Johannesburg Central SAPS on similar charges. All four suspects are expected to appear in court soon.
JMPD Chief of Police, Commissioner Patrick Jaca, praised the unit’s work, describing the arrests as a major step in disrupting syndicates that profit from street crime.
“The arrest of these individuals is a significant breakthrough in our ongoing efforts to dismantle syndicates that terrorise our residents,” he said. “By linking this suspect to both the viral video and the hijacking of one of our own members, we are sending a clear message that there is no hiding place for criminals in Johannesburg. Our officers are working tirelessly to ensure that all those involved in the value chain of stolen property are brought to book.”
The JMPD says further arrests are expected as investigations continue. Authorities have urged members of the public to remain alert and to report suspicious activities as efforts to curb phone-related crime intensify in the inner city.