Beware of crime at local malls: web sites with free useful information

Beware of crime at malls

The following was published in a local mewspaper:
"A number of incidents that clearly show a pattern have been circulating the e-malls. Some of the incidents in the e-malls are reproduced in this column. We hope that parents will be vigilant not only in reminding their children on how to
deal with harassment, but also taking measures such as discouraging the kids from bringing expensive items to the malls.

some modus operandi
The simplest case is described by one parent as follows: "At Timezone (Mall of Asia) a teen-aged boy started harassing my kids as they busily played a car racing video game .. . Later on, we discovered he was succesful at 'pickpocketing' my kids wallet and cellphone. The next is more complex, and was sent by another parent. "Ashley was
victimized at Timezone in Glorietta. She was with her friend while we were waiting for her at Jollibee.
"A woman approached her and said that she was her mom's friend and that her mom asked her to bring her to try on some clothes. She also asked for the cellphone of Ashley's friend which the girl gave. She was brought to SM Makati and was asked
to try on some clothes while she held on to Ashley's bag. She even asked for the diamond earrings which Ashley was wearing.
"When Ash looked out, the girl was gone already."
This third incident already has harassment involved. Familiarize your kids with how these criminals work. "My son was playing with four of hi friends at Timezone (Greenhills Theater Mall)> A guy then approached my son and started scolding him
that he was destroying the machine and he could be penalized for P100,000.
"The guy told my son to go with him to the Greenhills office to clear his name. They went out of Timezone and went to the V-mall food court . . . The guy told my son that he could not bring his things to the Greenhills office, so he brought out a plastic bag and asked him to put his PSP, cell phone and wallet into the plastic bag.
"He asked my son to seat and wait for him. The guy then went to talk with one of the personnel in Quantum, making it appear that he is depositing my son's things with the Quantum personnel. My son waited for maybe 10 minutes and the guy disappeared.
My son approached several Quantum personnel and asked if somebody left a plastic bag with him. The Quantum personnel told my son that he was robbed and the guy will not come back anymore. Realizing that he had been fooled, my son rushed back to our store in Promenade."
Finally, the most harrowing experience is shared by this parent. "Renzo and three of his classmates were going to practice at our home. Their meeting place was Trinoma Mall at 1 p.m. Renzo was accompanied by his elder brother till the time that Renzo was with his classmates. Renzo, already with two classmates, Ram and Aaron, waited for Richard, the third classmate at Olympic Village on the 4th floor.
"While waiting, they went through soccer balls and boxing gloves. Soon after they received a text message from third classmate Richard who was now waiting for them at Seattle's Best, 1st floor. They proceeded to meet Richard and as soon as they were complete, they headed for our home but then a man approached them and identified himself as an employee of Olympic Village and even flashed an ID to the boys. The man informed them that they damaged an item and that they should follow him back to the store.
"The man narrated every move the boys made, and true enough, and true enough one of them accidentally dropped a soccer ball. Before leaving Seattle's Best, Richard, the last classmate to arrive was told to stay behind and wait for them to return.
"The man then brought the three boys ro the 4th floor cinema area. Ram and Aaron were told to give Renzo all their belongings (three cell phones including Renzo's, an iPod, a PSP and two wallets) and were ordered by the man to go to the restroom to wash their hands before the investigation. The boys followed as ordered. When they returned, Renzo and the man were no longer there.
"At home, I received a phone call that every parent feared: "Ma'am, thisis Ram, Renzo's classmate. Ma'am, si Renzo po is missing." . . . I quickly headed to Trinoma to meet with them. I was scared; I called on the Lord, my dad and my mother-in-law to please keep my son safe. When I arrived at the Security office, my prayers were answered. There was Renzo, scared, pale, shaken up and in tears but most importantly safe and unharmed."



web sites worth checking out:

excite today web site
http://today.excite.com/joke.html

mewsmax web health
http://www.newsmax.com/health/

NERDTESTS.COM (www.nerdtests.com)

punofthe day web site
http://www.punoftheday.com/



web sites with useful information:

about secondhand smoke:
http://www.newsmax.com/health/

about prevention of bladder cancer
http://www.newsmax.com/health/

Take It Apart website
http://www.takeitapart.net/