COORDINATED MATATU PICKPOCKETS.

I just figured this post might be long,initially meant for Facebook, and there will be many who will not read till the end so I decided to start by saying.

Many matatu pickpocket cases are coordinated, with an arranged gang ready to carry out a planned robbery and a single swoop might leave at least two to three passengers crying foul of what has befallen them, with almost always at least one who survived the onslaught, so anytime you realize something is amiss, it’s best to alert the rest to make sure their belongings are safe before anyone alights.

So today I left the house with a friend who dropped me at knh/kmtc bus stop where I quickly proceed to take a city hopper bus to ambassador where I planned to proceed with my usual Sakna Medics daily activities. I usually prefer seats next to the window, leave it open during the ride and enjoy the breeze. So when a well-dressed gentleman casually moves and lets me take one, I gladly oblige, put my backpack on my lap, took out my Danielle Steel’s Irresistible Forces novel, put my phone in my trouser pocket just next to this gentleman, found my bookmark and soon my surrounding was forgotten as Steel quickly calls me to another world.

My world of imagination is cut short by a call for help, someone was calling out for a doctor, and that’s when I saw a woman, supposedly having an epileptic attack, up to now have not been able to confirm the authenticity of the case, the vocals were so real, yet the limb movements were more of a parkinsonian fit and only befitted a poorly acted scene in an Igbo movie, at the same time I knew it could be truthful, unusual but truthful.

All this time I had stood up, I don’t know why, maybe my ever curious mind trying to figure out what’s going on, or maybe my doctor blast instinct and readiness to help, most likely the former. But I quickly resumed my seat and got back to reading and shortly normalcy resumed.

Normalcy resumed safe for my seat mate who really wanted to now get off the matatu in the jam but the conductor would not let him, that’s when I decided to call the client I was to meet in town.  And that’s when I found my pockets empty. The chills. The shock. The palpitations. The fear. Am sure unless you are very lucky, you know of the feeling. That’s when I saw it, the well-dressed, courteous gentleman slip it back on the seat between us, with begging eyes that seemed to say ‘don’t raise an alarm please’ . I decided since I had my phone back there was no need. And who would have believed me anyway, I had my phone in my hands and he could easily deny my allegations however truthful they were. So I decided to let it go. But held my phone in my hands for the rest of the journey, and it was so for the other trips I made today.

He alighted at GPO, so did the lady who had an ‘epileptic attack’, that’s when one lady complained that her seatmate had tried to steal from her and asked everyone to check out for their belongings. IN TOTAL AROUND FIVE PASSENGERS REPORTED UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR FROM THEIR NEIGHBORS WHO ALL ALIGHTED AT GPO, AND ONE LOST HER 75000/- PHONE. I felt sorry for her as she narrated how she was tricked to help pick some coins that had fallen under seat around the same time the woman was having an epileptic fit.

Conclusion of the matter,

These guys thrive in confusion and in it they carry out their activities. Its best to ask the conductor to alert the rest of the commuters to check on their belongings, immediately you realize something is amiss.