My very close encounter with pick pockets

While I am writing this post, I still can't believe what I did this morning. I am still shivering whenever I think of it.

Two of my nieces stayed with me for the weekend and agreed to go back home when I went to work this morning. So, we took a public transport and alighted at our destination altogether. It was 7:30 in the morning and we were walking side by side with each other. I was holding my younger niece on my left hand while the older is on my right. She had her shoulder bag on her left shoulder. As we were walking on that busy street (Shoe Avenue in Barangay Sto. Niño), I noticed two men walking very closely behind my older niece. I know these men to be pick pockets since I have long been observing them whenever I wait for a jeepney in the afternoon. So, I have kept calm, stayed walking, hoping that they would just leave since I don't think my niece got anything valuable on her bag except dirty clothes. But while I kept on walking, I am trying to look at my right to see if they're still there. And at that moment that I really turned my head to look, I caught the older pick pocket about to open my niece's bag pocket! I was so shocked, I don't know what to do and apparently what I did was to tell these bad guys in the vernacular, "kilala ko kayo" (I know who you are). I kept repeating that same line with the guy I caught and I noticed the other bad guy went to my left side and told him the same line. I guess they were intimidated and just left. They did not run, they just walked away calmly.

It was only when they left that I noticed my niece's mobile phone was on that pocket and that was what enticed those pick pockets to follow us. I was so nervous and still shivering when I came to my office. I will never forget this experience.

Just a few tips for you, guys:
1) never put any of your valuables on your bag's front and side pockets
2) always carry your bag in front of you, where you can always see it
3) be aware of the people around you wherever you are