Watch your handbag.
A 60-year-old woman lost her bag with cash and valuables to thieves while she was having Sunday lunch with her family in a mall restaurant in Consolacion town, northern Cebu.
Police said Gwyndolyn Lastimosa, a Consolacion resident, lost her bag containing a Samsung cellphone and $17 cash past noon.
Hours later, her wallet with an identification card but no money was recovered in a fastfood chain in Mandaue City.
Security camera video of the incident showed a man getting the woman’s bag slung at the back of her chair in Chikaan restaurant and handing it to a female companion with a third person acting as a lookout.
Lastimosa, a finance officer, was not aware of the theft until later.
The top-view footage was uploaded on the Facebook page of “Cebu Flash Report” and was viewed 234,000 times as of last night.
PO1 Richie Gilleran, investigator of the Consolacion Police Station, said a theft complaint was filed. He confirmed that the video was taken inside the restaurant and said police would secure a copy.
In the video, the woman was seen eating with her family when a man in a light blue shirt and cap entered the restaurant. The man stood near Lastimosa while talking to someone over the phone.
He appeared to be looking for vacant seats then left. Seconds later, he returned with another man. After scanning the restaurant, the other man left. His companion stayed behind and kept staring at the woman’s bag hanging from the back of her chair. The first man returned with a woman. They both approached the unsuspecting diner. A few seconds after, the second man got the victim’s bag and handed it to the woman, who quickly left followed by two men.
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