if you were snatched, would you run after the snatcher to recover the item ?
By hotsummer
@hotsummer (13837)
Philippines
August 8, 2009 9:48pm CST
I won't. i was once snatched of my cellphone. i just looked at the person as he was away from me. he didn't run but i didn't try to run after him. In the philippines, people like this don't work alone. they may appear as to be the only person in the scene to snatch your item. but actually some of people around you who may be standing nearby or pretending to pass by or walking around are actually accomplishes to protect their partner. in case their partner was being chased they will block you from going to the snatcher and will push you and do many sort of things.
i have seen a woman before whose bag was snatched and she immediately run after the snatcher but two men who i taught was just a passerby and just as shocked like me as to what i was seeing was one of them and actually blocked the lady and pushed her back and not let her run after the guy. and the woman was so helpless against these people. being alone and no one with her. and if even she was with somebody there are nothing they can do about it. it is not good actually to show in public places your money and your possessions cause snatcher will see that you have something they want. that time i became or felt like i was sort of Ally McBeal. I was in my thoughts hitting them with big wood and they fell over and was able to helped the woman. ha ha.
for me life is more important that those things i lost. so i let it be. it was fault for showing my cellphone in places i know where there are lots of snatcher . so it is safer to use it like cellphone inside the malls cause there are securities inside and lot of people who will see it.
1 person likes this
9 responses
@galileo2008 (1170)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
I had a very worst experience before. I was robbed with three unknown people. They got my one-week old cellphone and they even placed something near my neck (I don't know what it was, and I don't want to know). My friend tried to call a security but those stupid security guards didn't even try to help. Thank God they didn't do anything harmful to me because the bystanders tried to help me, and those morons hurriedly escaped.
1 person likes this
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
security guards mostly are scared to help out mostly because theyare alone and could not possibly do any thing at all. unless they have other secutiry guards around to help out. anyways, thankfully there were lots of bystanders around.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
isn't that dangerous as they may be armed. they may be carrying a knife. even if you are martial artist and know karate we can't tell how they will be able to fight. cause one time one lady who is karate expert tried to fight the snatcher but she was killed instantly when the man stuck the knife into her throat. it was such horrible news to hear. poor lady. this snatchers don't show any mercy.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
yeah, so when i am in some notorious place. i just bring exact little money and make sure i don't bring any cellphone, cameras, gadgets and any expensive items.and i don't try to look my best. i just try to have a simple get up so i won't attract bad elements around. most bad elements actually look like ordinary innocent looking people and some are quite obvious to be one. but they know how to look just sometimes a well to do people also so that they will not raise suspicions and get trust from other people.
@klwheretogo (230)
• Malaysia
9 Aug 09
my advice is do not ever run after the snatcher, just forget about your stuff. Remember, you can earn back your stuff after some time, life is more precious than all your stuff. I will say you are consider lucky if the snatcher do not hurt you, some of the snatcher will even kill you after they grab your stuff. Just report the case to police, that is all.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
yeah that is the safest and best advice. just let it go. and just work hard again to earn money to buy another cellphone. but be careful next time and not just the expensive phones outside. rather use a very cheap phone when you can't help using the phone in public.
@chi2nasrin (1101)
• Malaysia
9 Aug 09
These bad guys are getting more brave and dangerous nowadays, to the extends that they will kill you for just your handphone or coins. Happened a lot here already. The best thing to do is just let them have what they want. No use chasing them for fighting them (unless you really good in martial art but victims are usually ladies that seem weak, old ladies or pregnant women).
actually we have to educate ourselves more about this thing, as it can actually be prevented or at least lower our risk to being attacked and targeted. In my place, the police or government have prevention class or they go on TV teaching people how to handle the situation when it happened. I don't know if you can find it on the net, maybe you can try.
Luckily I have never experienced this thing and I hope will never happen to me. But if it does, I will let him have what he snatched and then I will laugh and shout, "Hey, stupid, there's only 50cents in there, hhahaha...!!" That will make him stop, hopefully.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
yeah , it is really crazy out there now. it is hard to tell if our possessions are safe now to use in public. and it is sad to hear that even helpless people like pregnant women are favorite target cause they will not be able to fight back.
@raj_gupta (311)
• India
9 Aug 09
I disagree with all those who says that they won't go for the snatcher and beat the hell out of him. This world in not meant for people like them and if we don't try to stop them, they will grow in numbers. I have never experienced anything like this and wish never do, but if anybody tries to rob me off my things, only God can save them.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
but what can we do if they are stronger and armed and we are in unfamiliar place and with no people around to help us. is it worth risking our lives just to get the money or the items that they stole from us. I think our first instinct is to protect our selves and just stay away from danger. and don't we wish our loved will do same wherever they are. we wish them to be out of danger and not risk their lives just to get that item. no matter how expensive the item is. not every body are fit enough to do that . to run after the guy or whatever that was. and if the snatcher is a woman in case there is some cases like that. women snatcher can act like they were the victims. it happens here. they will act like the helpless victim and will use that to scare the person more just to get more money and will just avoid being apprehended by the police and sometimes the police are accomplishes. it is really crazy world we have now. we don't know who to trust any more. police here are corrupt.
@kennishababy (193)
• United States
10 Aug 09
no i think it is too dangerous. I would rather call the police and let them handle it.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
10 Aug 09
yeah, just report it to the police. if the item is not too expensive then just forget about it.
@markmoney (2868)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
Prevention is always the best thing. I once experienced this, my things being snatched. I was went out from an overtime work at 9pm. I was waiting for a passenger jeepney in a waiting shed. But it seemed like nothing will pass by so I decided to walk and go to a place where jeepney is more possible to pass by. So I took a walk. I took a quite street where only few is passing by. While I was passing the street. I heard a motorcycle at my back so I kept walking on the side. Unknowingly, the motorcycle went towards me and grabbed my pouch bag. I cannot do anything, I just shouted at him, but it's useless. It seemed like nothing did hear me. So I lost my pouch bag with a cellphone inside. Luckily my wallet is in my pocket as well as my other cellphone. That was really an embarassing moment. I just reported it to the police station so that they can warn the people passing that street. So that served as a lesson for me. Here are the lessons I've learned: we should not take quiet and dark streets, we should hold our things tight, beware of motorcycles, avoid being alone, and avoid going out at night. Happy myLotting! 
@underdogtoo (9579)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
My son's cell phone was snatched and he attempted to recover it. When I learned about it I told him to forget the cell phone because I was buying him a new one. It makes no sense to place him in danger because of a thing.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
yes cellphones are not worth risking our safety and lives. we can still buy cellphone or save money to buy it in the future.
@rmorefield (941)
• United States
9 Aug 09
I would definitely run after the person. I work hard (like most everyone else) for what I have. I will not give it up without a fight. Luckily, we don't have as much of a problem around here with snatchers. I live in a fairly small city. We do have problems with break-ins, but I have never actually seen someone just grab something out of another person's hand. That is horrible!! Yes, I would have to fight back.
@hotsummer (13837)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
hopefully it will be safe to do that. here running after them is like risking your life . the only hope here is for people or bystanders will help. cause those snatcher does not alone. they have back ups in the crowd. but i admire you for your bravery.
