Pickpockets now use spit to distract victims

MANILA, Philippines - A pickpocket who was arrested Monday admitted that thieves have developed a new modus operandi involving spit in order to cope with increasingly streetwise commuters.

In an interview with The STAR yesterday, Rogelio Magpantay, 37, also said criminals seldom use guns or knives to victimize commuters.

“We no longer bring weapons because it would mean additional charges once we get caught,” Magpantay said in Filipino.

Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo Jr., commander of the Quezon City Police District-Station 3, who took Magpantay into custody after the suspect was mobbed by an angry crowd, said this also means only the lesser charge of theft instead of robbery could be filed against people like Magpantay.

Pedrozo, who used to head the QCPD’s Theft and Robbery Investigation Section, said the “dura-dura (spit)” modus operandi is emerging to be a recurring incident among theft victims in the metropolis.

“In my area of jurisdiction, there have been six cases like this just this month,” Pedrozo told The STAR.

Pedrozo said Magpantay is the first thief using this modus operandi to be arrested in the city.

According to Magpantay, it used to be that thieves just used “paangat,” when they would discreetly pick the pocket of a prospective victim to get his or her wallet.

Magpantay said when picking pockets became noticeable, thieves then used the “laglag barya” modus, wherein they would drop a coin or a bill to call the attention of a prospective victim. Once the passenger bends over to pick up the money, a cohort would then pick his wallet.

“But now everybody is already aware of the laglag barya modus. So we now resort to dura-dura,” Magpantay said. Under the modus, thieves spit or pour water on the shirt of a victim to distract him enough for the suspect’s cohort to be able to steal his belongings.

“Nowadays, people, especially women, no longer put their wallets or other belongings inside their wallets. The belongings are usually inside their bags. By distracting a prospective victim using the dura-dura scheme, we are able to shove into their bags,” Magpantay said.

Under the dura-dura modus operandi, Magpantay said their gang members rake in as much as P6,000 in cash and valuables after a day’s work.  

According to Magpantay, they usually operate in groups of at least three men – a “tirador” or the one who actually steals the wallet or any belonging of the victim; a “dropper” or the person who spits or pours liquid on the shirt of the victim; and the “bakero” who is the one to whom the tirador passes on the stolen item.

And there is even a backup plan once the victim notices that his or her wallet is already missing while the suspects are still inside the public utility vehicle.

“That’s part of my job as the bakero. If the victim notices that the item is already missing and starts accusing the tirador being the only one beside him, I will discreetly drop the item behind the victim and tell him that it may have just slipped out of his bag or pocket,” Magpantay said.

Magpantay said since the police are already warning the public against this new technique, some of them have shifted their operations to nearby provinces.

“Our group, for example, is usually operating in Rizal and Bulacan, where residents are still not that aware of our modus operandi,” he said.

But their plan appeared to be not so foolproof after victim Nelia Sarmiento followed Magpantay’s group after they stole her wallet containing cash worth P520.

“The jeepney driver may have tipped her off and she decided to get off the vehicle to tail us,” Magpantay said.

The victim then shouted for help, alerting people along Tandang Sora Avenue who ganged up on Magpantay before civilian volunteers of the police arrived in the area. He was eventually turned over to the QCPD-Station 3. Magpantay’s three cohorts, who he identified only as Eddie, Sam and Undor, escaped.

Pedrozo said they will look into past similar reported incidents of theft in areas under his jurisdiction to determine whether Magpantay’s group was behind them.