[Merged] Beware Of This Modus Operandi: Bag Switching

[BuDiK]

Hello Peeps,

A friend warns me about this bag switching style of stealing. He verified this himself and it's true. Thought of sharing this to you.

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BEWARE OF THIS MODUS OPERANDI!

I have no idea if this has been happening for quite some time now, let's
just be very, very careful. I was recently one of the numerous victim.


On June 24, 2005 at around 1855H, I purchased medicines from Mercury
Drugstore located at Aniban, Bacoor, Cavite. Upon entering said drugstore,
I obliged with company policy to surrender all kinds of bags to the
security guard on duty. Manning the baggage center was Security Guard
Jualianito Teves of Derobe Security Agency based at Sucat, Paranaque
City.
I hand over my black Samsonite backpack to Security Guard Teves and he
gave me a corresponding security number, 019. Security Guard Teves placed
my bag at the second level of the baggage compartment and put the number
019 at the top of my bag. I proceeded to the counter and make my purchase.
(Receipt No. 832621 June 24, 2005 1911H)


When I came back to the baggage center to claim my bag and showed the
security number 019, Security Guard Teves handed me a different bag, a
light blue "mailman" bag. I was staggered to see that my bag was replaced
and gone. Security Guard Teves remarked, "Sir, ito ang number sa bag
ninyo, kaya sa inyo ito!" In our heated argument, I asked him to watch me
closely as I inspect the contents of the bag to verify its ownership and
match it with my own identity. We found out that the bag belonged to a
certain Reynante de Castro of Niog 2, Bacoor, Cavite who suffered the same
fate. Calling the number on Mr. De Castro's ID, his wife informed me
that
me and her husband has switched bags and he is at SM Bacoor Video City. I
contacted Mr. De Castro on the number his wife gave me and we we窶决e both
fuming mad at a mistake we un-deliberately did to each other. After
presenting my proper identification cards, Mercury Drugstore supervisor
allowed me to bring Mr. De Castro's bag to SM Bacoor. I went to SM
Bacoor
窶?Video City and met Mr. De Castro. (Mercury Drugstore Aniban and SM
Bacoor estimated distance is 5kms.)

Mr. de Castro was put on hold at SM Bacoor Video City because when he was
about to retrieve his bag, the security guard gave him a different kind of
bag, a belt bag. Mr. De Castro came from work at EPZA and went directly to
SM Bacoor Video City. The switching of the bags occurred at Video City and
the perpetrator, with the bag of Mr. de Castro went to Mercury Drugstore
Aniban, where he switched my bag with that of Mr. de Castro.

These events transpired under the watchful eye of both security guards.
The baggage compartment is exactly at the right side of the security guard
and any commotion that will transpire directly in front of him will never
miss his attention. I also believe that policy states that only the
security guard shall place or withdraw any kind of bag deposited at the
baggage center.

After the proper security check, Mr. de Castro's bag was returned to him
while the bag which was supposedly mine turned out to belong to another
person. I went back to Mercury Drugstore empty handed and held them liable
for the personal belongings I lost. The supervisor told me to account the
contents of my bag, with the corresponding cost, and it will be charged to
the security guard on duty.

On the following day, Saturday, June 25, 2005 at around 1400H, a certain
Liezl, Supervisor from Rustan's Supermarket - Boni, Mandaluyong
City,
called me on my cellphone inquiring if I have lost a bag. One of their
customer suffered the same fate and when he was about to retrieve his bag,
the security guard gave him my black Samsonite backpack which he hesitated
to accept. My bag suddenly appeared on their baggage center which was
switched again by the perpetrator. ツ￡The said customer was patiently
waiting at Rustan's Supermarket when his cellphone rang, the person on
the
other end asked him if he lost a bag. His bag appeared at Mercury
Drugstore Sucat (and the modus operandi goes). I was able retrieve my bag
from Rustan's Supermarket at Boni and the only content was the red
plastic
folder with my college diploma, the highly valuable items were lost.

Beware!

[111prez]

grabe. i dont think this will happen without the connivance of the security guards. sobrang tanga naman sila if they cannot match the bags with the id tags they give out

[ts1n1ta]

hmmm so wala ng safe sa mundo talaga. lahat ng kalokohan meron! amf.

[mrpink]

damn .. i always bring a knapsack pa naman para sa mga gadgets ko .. (kesa naman clutch bag or the more pc term .. man purse) .. at madalas iniiwan ko lang sa mga bag-counter kung may no-bag policy pinapasukan ko .. grr ..

[BuDiK]

damn .. i always bring a knapsack pa naman para sa mga gadgets ko .. (kesa naman clutch bag or the more pc term .. man purse) .. at madalas iniiwan ko lang sa mga bag-counter kung may no-bag policy pinapasukan ko .. grr ..

oo nga bro. i was alarmed when I read this because i usually carry a backpack (sometimes with my laptop in it) when going to malls, buti na lang di pa nangyaring ma-switch sa baggage counter.

tsk, tsk, tsk.. dami na talagang modus operandi ngayon.

[silhouette]

wdf!
good thing i always carry my valuables instead of leaving it inside my bag.

[Field Master]

Now that we are aware that this is happening how we could protect ourselves as the bag switching is happening beyond your knowledge? Siguro dapat lang i-plano ang mga lakad to avoid going to establishement that would require you to deposit your bag. Ako I usually left my things/bag on my car.

[mikaztro]

BEWARE OF THIS MODUS OPERANDI!
forwarded email to serve notice to everyone

I have no idea if this has been happening for quite some time now, let's just be very, very careful. I was recently one of the numerous victim.


On June 24, 2005 at around 1855H, I purchased medicines from Mercury Drugstore located at Aniban, Bacoor, Cavite. Upon entering said drugstore, I obliged with company policy to surrender all kinds of bags to the security guard on duty. Manning the baggage center was Security Guard Jualianito Teves of Derobe Security Agency based at Sucat, Parañaque City. I hand over my black Samsonite backpack to Security Guard Teves and he gave me a corresponding security number, 019. Security Guard Teves placed my bag at the second level of the baggage compartment and put the number 019 at the top of my bag. I proceeded to the counter and make my purchase. (Receipt No. 832621 June 24, 2005 1911H)

When I came back to the baggage center to claim my bag and showed the security number 019, Security Guard Teves handed me a different bag, a light blue "mailman" bag. I was staggered to see that my bag was replaced and gone. Security Guard Teves remarked, "Sir, ito ang number sa bag ninyo, kaya sa inyo ito!" In our heated argument, I asked him to watch me closely as I inspect the contents of the bag to verify its ownership and match it with my own identity. We found out that the bag belonged to a certain Reynante de Castro of Niog 2, Bacoor, Cavite who suffered the same fate. Calling the number on Mr. De Castro's ID, his wife informed me that me and her husband has switched bags and he is at SM Bacoor Video City. I contacted Mr. De Castro on the number his wife gave me and we we're both fuming mad at a mistake we un-deliberately did to each other. After presenting my proper identification cards, Mercury Drugstore supervisor allowed me to bring Mr. De Castro's bag to SM Bacoor. I went to SM Bacoor - Video City and met Mr. De Castro. (Mercury Drugstore Aniban and SM Bacoor estimated distance is 5kms.)

Mr. de Castro was put on hold at SM Bacoor Video City because when he was about to retrieve his bag, the security guard gave him a different kind of bag, a belt bag. Mr. De Castro came from work at EPZA and went directly to SM Bacoor Video City. The switching of the bags occurred at Video City and the perpetrator, with the bag of Mr. de Castro went to Mercury Drugstore Aniban, where he switched my bag with that of Mr. de Castro.

These events transpired under the watchful eye of both security guards. The baggage compartment is exactly at the right side of the security guard and any commotion that will transpire directly in front of him will never miss his attention. I also believe that policy states that only the security guard shall place or withdraw any kind of bag deposited at the baggage center.

After the proper security check, Mr. de Castro's bag was returned to him while the bag which was supposedly mine turned out to belong to another person. I went back to Mercury Drugstore empty handed and held them liable for the personal belongings I lost. The supervisor told me to account the contents of my bag, with the corresponding cost, and it will be charged to the security guard on duty.

On the following day, Saturday, June 25, 2005 at around 1400H, a certain Liezl, Supervisor from Rustan's Supermarket - Boni, Mandaluyong City, called me on my cellphone inquiring if I have lost a bag. One of their customer suffered the same fate and when he was about to retrieve his bag, the security guard gave him my black Samsonite backpack which he hesitated to accept. My bag suddenly appeared on their baggage center which was switched again by the perpetrator. The said customer was patiently waiting at Rustan's Supermarket when his cellphone rang, the person on the other end asked him if he lost a bag. His bag appeared at Mercury Drugstore Sucat (and the modus operandi goes). I was able retrieve my bag from Rustan's Supermarket at Boni and the only content was the red plastic folder with my college diploma, the highly valuable items were lost.

Beware!

JOSELITO G. MANCANES
Sr. Systems Analyst
IT Services Department
Lufthansa Technik Philippines

[EL Chicane]

Kung ang kwentong ito ay totoo at hindi isang "urband legend" na naman, pwede kang maka-iwas dito. Pag nag-iwan ka ng bag sa baggage counter, unahan mo na yung guard or baggage guy, i-describe mo sa kanya kung ano ang hitsura nung bag na inaabot mo sa kanya, so hindi na niya ito pag-iinitan dahil sa isip niya tinandaan mo talaga yung bag mo.

Napansin ko rin na yung ilang shops ngayon eh pwede ng ipasok yung bag sa loob. Tulad ng National Bookstore sa Festival Mall, dati kailangan mo pang iwan yung knacksack mo, ngayon pwede ng ipasok sa loob. Kahit dun sa Ace Hardware sa Town Center ganun na din.

[mikey177]

My rule of thumb is: Only leave items at baggage check-in that you can afford to lose. Otherwise, if you have something valuable on you, insist that you be allowed to bring it into the establishment.