Police ready vs conmen in campuses

Despite police warnings, there are still gullible persons who fall prey to sweet-talking conmen to part with their belongings and hard-earned money. But police authorities are now ready to deal with these swindlers who are likely to be active again when classes resume next month.

"Criminals, including these conmen, congregate in crowded places and will strike in an opportune time. That’s why I have instructed my men to be on double alert against these unscrupulous persons especially near and around school campuses," said Superintendent Manolo Martinez, the new chief of Sampaloc police station whose areas of jurisdiction include the University Belt.

A check by The STAR of police blotter showed that a coed and a couple fell prey to sweet-talking conmen in Sampaloc, Manila over the weekend losing cash and valuables in the process. A 16-year-old female student lost her cellular phone worth P5,000 to two women who befriended her in front of the Ramon Magsaysay High School along España. The victim said she was approached by a young woman asking for assistance to find a trucking company to deliver her products. In the midst of their conversation, an elderly woman arrived and volunteered to assist the young woman in looking for the trucking firm.

The young suspect whispered to the victim that she was carrying a large sum of money placed inside a plastic bag and that she would entrust the money to her in exchange for her cellular phone so she won’t run away with the money. Giving in to the sweet-talking suspects, the victim gave her cellular phone, only to find out later that the contents of the plastic bag were cut-out newspapers.

In another case, couple Michael and Romela Macario were visited at their residence at 740-D Valencia st., Sampaloc by a stranger who introduced himself as Angelito Rodriguez. The suspect claimed to have been the couple’s colleague in a Cursillo class they attended several years ago. After exchanging pleasantries, the man told the couple that he intends to get them as sponsors for the baptism of his son, and he needs money for the occasion. Falling prey to the gullible tongue of the stranger, the couple gave him P1,000, while the man promised to fetch them on baptismal day. After the man had left, the couple found out that their cellular phone worth P12,000 was missing which they believed was also taken by the suspect. – Nestor Etolle