It is terrifying hearing news about crime here, there, and everywhere. We are always anxious about our security when we go out of our homes everyday. Even at home, we can never be so sure we’re safe.
Recently, we’ve been hearing about a modus operandi victimizing travellers by planting bullets in their luggages only to end up in prison when airport officers inspect these unsuspecting travellers’ luggages.
In an effort to keep the public aware and prevent crime, the Philippine National Police National Capital Region Police Office has published in its website’s Crime Prevention Tips section a list of the top 10 modus operandi in the Philippines to date.
Here they are (all credits goes to the PNP NCRPO):
1. Sneaky Office Intruders
How it looks like: Office with little or no security (personnel or equipment like CCTV, etc) are the perfect place for thieves to break into. When do they do this? Lunch breaks.
How it’s done: The most convenient chance an evil minded intruded could get to sneak into offices is lunch break. These thieves disguise themselves in various ways. Thieves could pose as an employee’s friend, a visitor, or as a messenger. And they have all the ‘proof’ (e.g. Visitor’s ID, and other IDs) to successfully stage their plot. Office intruders target cellular phones, cash, laptops, and credit cards.
In 2009, a woman was caught on camera stealing the wallet of an employee in a review center in Quezon City. The thief slipped inside the office and stole the employee’s wallet and seven credit cards. By the time the employee found out her cards are missing and reported it, four of them had already been used. Over 50,000 pesos was charged to her. The thief was caught by the police when it tried to purchase a laptop worth 23,000 pesos. The woman the police arrested was not the same woman seen in the CCTV footage in the office where the victim works.
What you can do to prevent this: If your office is not equipped with tight security measures and equipment, it is wise to bring your valuables in a small bag wherever you go, or lock them somewhere safe (e.g. office locker, or your drawer). If an intruder has already hit your workplace, report the incident immediately. File charges if security catches him or her.
