A Zimbabwean national was arrested for allegedly reporting two false robberies in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

The man was arrested when police noticed he had opened a similar case as one reported at another station, Superintendent Jay Naicker said.

"Commissioner Pat Brown became suspicious after the robbery case opened by the suspect at the Point Police Station bore startling similarities to a case he opened at Durban North."

In the Durban North case, opened on 15 January, he claimed he was an American tourist and was robbed by two men. On Tuesday the same man went to the Point police station, claimed to be from Switzerland and said he was robbed by two women.

Police gave the man food and clothes and made arrangements for his accommodation.

When the report reached Brown, he asked to interview the man as he had already spoken to the "victim" from the Durban North case.

Brown recognised him and confronted him about his story.

The man allegedly confessed that he had opened false cases in both instances. He was charged with two counts of defeating the ends of justice and perjury.