Nothing petty about petty crimes

I have been warned. I enjoy walking in UP, from ABS-CBN to Tomas Morato, or whenever I feel like it — usually by myself. I told DZMM anchor Anthony Taberna about this, and he told me not to be so casual about it. “I can proudly say that during the days when I used to commute, I have never been held up,” I told him. He explained, “There’s nothing wrong if you might think that the people around you are criminals. You have to be careful.”

Well, I’m almost the opposite of Tunying. I like to go for a walk, even humming a tune. I enjoy feeling the breeze on my face, listening to the sound of crickets during sunset, and the tapping of the rain on my umbrella. Usually, I embrace the moment.

But crime hits you when you least expect it. Obviously.

I was on a coverage at the National Children’s Hospital and I texted my boss that I was not going to make it for radio. Then I remembered that I had to move my car. Quickly, I put my phone at the side pocket of my bag. When I got to the car, I was looking for my phone to check if my boss replied to my text. It was gone. Somewhere in between my going to the car — a mere 30 seconds — my phone was stolen.

I called up my phone. It rang, then it went busy.

Usually, I place my phone in my bag’s inner compartments, but I figured it wasn’t going to take me a minute. How long does it take for a crime to happen? Well, just a blink of an eye.

There is nothing petty about petty crimes. Rarely does it get enough airtime in the news, unless someone gets killed, or when a crossfire between authorities and the suspects happens. Rarely does it get the attention of the authorities because the chances of a petty crime happening to them is nil with their bodyguards and “alepores” (entourage).

Ordinary Filipinos deal with it every single day, especially during their daily commute. In the MRT, jeepneys and buses, people hug their belongings, as if they were to be snatched from them anytime. Notice the defensive stance of some commuters.

But there are those like me. Naive? Until it happens to you, you wouldn’t really exercise caution. After that incident, I didn’t feel safe walking alone. It’s better to be in a yellow mode, or what the military defines as a state of being prepared for anything. Be on alert.

Is there really a safe place? Even in Rome, so many pickpockets roam. Pickpockets don’t only thrive in Divisoria or Baclaran, or during three-day mall sales. Crime is everywhere. However, I’d like to believe there are still places where you don’t have to be so paranoid — like Singapore. Donita Rose, who lived in Singapore during her MTV days, says that it’s safe to commute or take the MRT even at late hours.

The order in the streets of Singapore is a reflection of how well their government works!

And before I’ll be accused of blaming my pickpocketing incident to the government, allow me to explain.

To those who still have not read The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, please read it. Gladwell explains the Broken Windows theory: A place that is in disorder and full of vandalism will attract worse crimes. When petty crimes thrive, it sends the signal that criminals can get away with murder. This could be the secret to Singapore’s peace and order where even chewing gum is prohibited. On the other hand, New York’s crime rate dropped significantly in the ’90s when the subway was cleared of graffiti. Addressing  minor offenses has a great impact on a place’s overall peace and order situation.

We don’t have to get stabbed in the streets to say that we are not safe. Those who can afford pay a premium to live in gated communities, to have drivers and bodyguards to keep them from harm’s way. All lives are important but not everyone can afford security. Hence, to majority of us, we have to accept crime as a normal occurrence, and we just have to walk with caution.

(Email me at [email protected] or follow me on Twitter at @Bernadette_ABS.)