About 2 weeks ago, i had to go from where i attend a review class to the Shoemart nearby. Since SM Valenzuela was only a couple of kilometers, i decided to just take the jeep. After i got in, 3 guys came on. Then soon after a fourth guy came and sat beside me near the front. In the middle of the ride, the third guy moved beside the 4th guy in the small space between the fourth guy and the front seat. It was really weird that he moved since it was ok on the other side and we basically had the 4th guy sandwiched between us. Then the 2nd guy across me dropped coins. While picking them up, he kept moving my feet. I dont see how his coins could get under my shoe but what was more puzzling was how he was shaking. I thought that he was either nervous or sick. Anyway, he soon after got down. When he did, i suddenly noticed that the cellphone i had on my hip was missing. I checked behind me but the street was empty so nobody could have gotten it from the window. I declared the missing cell and immediately the 1st guy in front of me said that it must have been the guy who went down. He then said that the guy went into the small street we just passed and that there was a police station there. (Hmm... come to think of it, why did the jeepney driver stop?) Anyway, i knew the guy who went down couldnt have taken it since i was watching him the whole time. I was looking around my seat in case it fell when i heard my phone beep that a message came in. Luckily it wasnt on silent and that my message alert tone is a long superman theme (yeah, go figure). I immediately looked at the two guys beside me and said that my phone is there. I asked them to move so i can look. When the third guy moved away, the girl beside me saw my cell and pointed it out. As i grabbed the cell, the other guy ran out. Well, i very well cant accuse the two who was left can i? Since i was already at SM, i decided to just go down. One of the guys who went down sidled up to me and said that the two who were left were in cahoots with the other two who left. He didnt want to stay in the jeep so he went out even though it wasnt his stop.

Anyway, i called my cellphone's saviour for texting me and then i went about my business. After retelling the story to some friends who live in the area, i learned that i wasnt the first victim. These guys have been operating in the area for some time and the jeepney drivers know them. Yeah, they know them and some are probably working with them. Perhaps they give them a signal or whatnot when a likely target boards the vehicle. The police... are too busy causing traffic in the area daily to bother with such trivial matters. I can only hope they catch these criminals.