NEW CARJACK AND HOLD UP MODUS OPERANDI REVEALED!
Candy Mejia-Subida's Account
A word of caution! An incident happened to me yesterday in between Megamall and St. Francis square while I was double parked infront of mercury.... I was sitting in the drivers side while royet quickly ran to mercury. while i was putting on lipstick and using the rear view mirror I saw a man crossing from megamal to st francis area. We actually made eye contact and he even put a smirk, from then on i had my eye on him (had a bad feeling about him from the very start) so i continued putting lipstick but my eyes were now at the passengers sidemirror...
True enough he circled the car and went back to the pedestrian and i saw him signal a group across where he eventually joined a two women with two "umbrellas" and one guy. my heart was beating so fast already (because this is what i read in the "Rachel Samson Torres incident" post). What was freaky was i could predict every move of theirs because i read that post. The two women and one guy positioned themselves apart from one another one at the back of my car, the other with still an open umbrella right smack infront of my passengers side and the other infront of the car but all on the sidewalk of st. francis side. I knew something was up because when they were crossing they were talking and when they crossed they split up and as if they didnt know each other. I moved my car a few meters and he said hindi ho hindi ho (as if saying im not telling you to move) in the meantime i got my fone put it in camera mode and true enough the guy goes up to my side and is pointing to my rear tire...
My goodness i couldnt believe that was the very exact thing that happened to mommy Rachel Samson Torres. So when he started babbling I put up my phone and took his photo, he immediately covered his face and said no no no and he walked away towards the st. francis guard. I wanted him to know that I knew something was up thats the reason i took his photo so he would go away from me.. (Note: He even tapped the rear of the car and spoke to the guard). At this point i had rang royet to come out. I saw the girls and guy cross back to megamall side so i opened my window and started calling the megamall guard and i kept saying guard yun naka orange and red and white stripes... They were walking ever so calmy but moved significantly faster coz they could hear me screaming by then.
Royet gets into the car and we drove to find the 2 girls and guy but they had entered megamall already. We turned the car back and looked for the gurd of st. francis who he spoke to and we asked what the guy had said... According to the guard the man asked if "we" could park in a slot. (Note: Imagine.. the guard actually thought all the while he was with us coz the man "tapped" the car before he approached the guard (Apparently a contingency move if they are almost busted). I feel so fortunate that mommy rachel made a very detailed report on the new modus operandi if not for her chances are the girl nearest to me would have opened the passenger door if i opened my lock to check on what the guy was fictitiously pointing at. (note in the picture that all this was happening with the megamall guard a few meters away behind him. in my case Awareness played a key role therefore it is my duty to make others aware through sharing my experience so we can minimize being victimized. P.S. feel free to re-post this and his picture... he probably thinks i got a clear shot of him and his cohorts, which is what i would want him to think. Friends, let us be extra vigilant!
Rachel Samson Torres:
Last Friday, July 7, at around 12:20-12:40pm, As I was picking up mu Grade 5 daughter in Poveda. I had a near hold-up / carnap / carjack experience.
I dropped my yaya on Guadix dr. cor. poveda st., then I parked my car on ADB Ave., very near Guadix dr., by the sidewalk of ADB and waited inside the car. While waiting, I was busy texting. After about 5-10 minutes, I heard some sound like someone was touching the left rear side of my car. I could see 3 women in the corner of my eye. I was about to unlock the door since I thought it was my daughter and yaya. Then a man knocked on my window saying, "May susi na naipit.", while pointing to the left rear side of my car, as he was holding a cellphone and a car key.
I couldn't understand clearly what he was saying. I was about to go down and look, then I suddenly got scared. It just dawned on me that this must be one of those 'Modus Operandi' that Ted Failon has been warning drivers. Then I realized I shouldn't have opened my window, so I closed it right away. The 3 ladies were under a white with red hearts umbrella, looking down near my left ear wheel. I couldn't see their faces because of the umbrella. I was thinking their susi might have been ran over my wheel, so I started my car and slightly moved it forward. I was waiting for them to pick up the susi, but the ladies just left and walked towards guadix dr., and the man went back to my window side and said the same thing again. I moved the car slightly forward again as I was ready to speed away, then he left going towards the ladies who walked. I watched them while they were walking. The man was talking to someone on his cellphone or maybe pretending. Then the man walked back towards ADB again. This time walking on the sidewalk of ADB. I was ready to leave if ever he comes back to me again, but he just continued walking still talking on his cellphone. Finally, my daughter and yaya arrived. I asked her if her keys are with her or maybe naipit by the door, but it was in her bag. So we left and moved towards the direction of Podium. The man was walking towards the same direction, still using his cellphone.
On hindsight, he was giving me the impression that he was a driver of one of the student's cars, that's why he was showing me his cellphone and a car key, and maybe I would feel comfortable and get out of my car and look at the rear left bottom part of my car, where the ladies were looking and to where he was pointing. Then that would be his chance to hold-up / carnap / carjack.
Unfortunately, there were no MMDA Traffic Aides / Police in the area at that time. Normally, there is one at the intersection of ADB, Guadix, Poveda and one in a motorcycle roving along ADB Ave.
I was lucky to have heard Ted Failon's warning that morning, over DZMM that the new modus operandi of these people now, is to target lady drivers, who are caught unaware, because they are busy texting, putting on make-up etc. It is no longer the 'Riding in Tandem' style. There is just one guy on a motorcycle who purposely bumps your car. You feel it's really an accident, so you go down and check, then another guy rides and speeds away with your car. So he said, if that happens, just ignore it and make sure you get out of the scene as soon as possible.
Another one is, they tie some tin cans at the rear of your car, so when you move, you will hear them sound. then you go down to check what is it and they get your car.
So please, dear parents, please lock your door always. Instruct your drivers and yayas to be extra, extra vigilant. Make your children aware of this. We are not safe in those streets. Best is to wait along Poveda Street. Who knows what could be after a holdup / carnap / carjack. God Forbid.
