Pick Pocket

I was a pick-pocket victim last night. My first experience of this modus operandi.

After dinner in East Wood, we (Myke, Anya and I) decided to check out the CD sale at that area where they hold concerts (what do they call that place?). Myke and I were standing beside each other scanning through the titles on the rack when...

(NOTE: the next sequence of events happened SO fast!)

...someone walked between us and I suddenly felt a hand inside the outside pocket of my bag. My reflexes acted fast enough that I took the hand out of my pocket held it really tight and asked old the boy (at this point I find out he is a boy around 11 years old!) "hoy! ano yang kinuhuha mo?!" I checked both hands, nothing. I searched his body, none. I checked the pocket of my bag to see if my mobile phones were still there (I know, I should have zipped them inside my bag.) and yes, both were still there. Whew!

I walked away relieved that I still have my mobile phones with me, but regretting not bringing him to the proper authorities.

The thing is, when I held the boy's hand and checked it, he willing showed me his empty hand. And at that moment, I felt bad coz I thought I was accusing an innocent person. But as the 3 of us did a post mortem, the boy was definitely trying to pick my pocket! Both Myke and Anya accounted for it. Funny how different people can account for the same incident differently (very much like those CSI-type of shows we watch -- accounts from different point of views).

Myke felt the boy push him away as he tried to go between us and just saw me pull-out the boy's hand. Anya on the other hand, saw the boy's hand in my pocket and saw me pull it out.

I am thankful that I didn't lose anything, but I still regret not reporting him. I tried to go back to where it happened to look for him but as expected, he was gone. Augh!

On a different note, I think it's sad that people are pushed to resort to this type of money-making scheme at a very young age. I wonder where the parents of these kids are! Sad. Just sad.