Springbok legend Jean de Villiers apprehends shoplifter – PICTURES
Images have emerged of former Springbok captain Jean de Villiers chasing down an alleged shoplifter in Paarl. According to Netwerk24, De Villiers – who captained the Springbok team on 37 occasions – had grown suspicious of a man who was seemingly slipping sweets into his pockets before walking out of The Boer & Butcher shop in […]
Images have emerged of former Springbok captain Jean de Villiers chasing down an alleged shoplifter in Paarl.
According to Netwerk24, De Villiers – who captained the Springbok team on 37 occasions – had grown suspicious of a man who was seemingly slipping sweets into his pockets before walking out of The Boer & Butcher shop in Paarl late last month.
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Store owner Edu Hanekom said that De Villiers and his wife Marlie, who are regular customers, were at the checkout when the well-known former Springbok and Stormers captain first spotted the man acting suspiciously.
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Screenshots from surveillance footage show the 41-year-old – who is still in top shape – running after the suspect, before returning and handing him over to security.
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Netwerk24 also quoted a voice note from De Villiers to his wife describing how he “watched him the whole time without him seeing that I was watching him”.
“And when I looked again, he just slowly started walking out. And when he walked out, I also slowly walked behind him,” he told his spouse.
“When I said ‘hey’ he looked around and started running. Then I just said to myself, but I must also run now. And then I ran out of my sandals and glasses and finally across the road.”
WATCH Jean de Villiers marches alleged shoplifter back to the shop in Paarl
Here is proof that @JeandeVilliers1 can come out of retirement! 😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Vkcc7dS7e9
— thevillageguy (@thevillageguy1) February 8, 2023
Hanekom praised the quick thinking of De Villiers, who successfully brought the perpetrator back to the shop.
“We are very grateful for Jean’s actions. It was quite a thing when a former Springbok rugby captain arrived with the thief,” Hanekom said.
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De Villiers is one of the most well-known former South African rugby players, having featured in 109 Tests between 2002 and 2015.
He was renowned for his ability to read the game and for often scoring incredible intercept tries.
The centre was also one of the most loyal servants of Western Province and Stormers rugby, featuring in over 100 games for the Cape franchise.