Salisi Gang (Theft) Modus Operandi Caught on Video (Macapagal Boulevard)

"When you least expect it, that's when they are most ready for it."

Most of us here in the Philippines have heard about the "Salisi Gang" but it's not very often that you get to see the actual footage of the actual modus operandi.

[My friend caught a swindler recently and he blogger about it HERE]

Thanks to modern technology, most establishments now are installing CCTV otherwise known as closed-circuit television (surveillance camera). We can now trace back unexpected events and happenings. Having CCTVs in your establishment isn't a very welcoming idea, specially those people who are sensitive on certain privacy issues.

Well, everything has a good and bad side. The problem though with these CCTVs are, they aren't clear enough to identify the persons involved because such cameras don't have a high image/video resolution -- just yet.
The Modus Operandi of Salisi Gang

We've heard different stories and a variety of versions of their modus operandis. From them dropping coins to distract the victim, talking to the victim or bumping the target. Bottom line -- Salisi Gang's goal is to distract you so that your attention will be diverted and they can initiate their real motive.

In the video below, you can see that a guy wearing white and a girl, also wearing white are carefully monitoring their surroundings. In this particular video, we can safely assume that they already have found their target victim.

The victim got up to get food from the buffet table and the 2 of them are preparing to move in. As seen, there is only 1 person left in the table (wearing green) and this makes it their perfect moment as 2 out of 3 persons sitting in that table weren't there.

They have 2 problems though. One, they need to distract the girl in green seated on that same table, and two, the guy in red who is sitting right beside the target's seat is very near the target.

So, they initiate their impromptu 2-fold plan. First, the girl in white drops a "PowerStation Card" (according to witnesses) to distract the girl in green and two, the girl in white blocks the view of the guy in red.

As you can see, everything happened so fast and simultaneously (and as planned). The guy in red was blocked, the girl in green was informed BY ANOTHER GUY that the girl in green dropped something. While all those mentioned was happening, the guy in white moves in and used his dark bag to cover the white bag (victim's bag).

They walked away as if nothing happened. You can now expect see a convoy of people leaving the establishment, all at the same time. The restaurant also showed us the CCTV footage strategically placed on the entry/exit point of the said establishment. We saw the guy in white exit first, immediately turning right then followed by 3 more people, going straight. From the slow motion in the video below, we can see at least 5 to 6 people in the convoy towards the exit. We are assuming that either 2 people in the gang stayed for a couple of minutes to do some post-monitoring before meeting up with the group, or, those 2 persons who didn't exit were actually posing as customers dining-in, too.

This is the funny part. According to the security guard of the establishment, he saw "2" people exit the restaurant. A guy and a girl. The guy was holding 2 bags (correct) and the girl was with him which is inconsistent because based on the CCTV camera, the guy turned right, alone, and the 3 perons tailing him went straight. (See video #2 below)

He was right when he said that he cannot just stop the guy and question him because he cannot just accuse anyone of theft. Also, according to him, no one alerted him of the incident inside as the Salisi Gang exited the establishment. The guy was carrying a woman's bag with a girl. That's what the security guard said and that's the only inconsistent part I can name and it just might be because he was excited in telling the story.

Here is the actual footage edited to add the slow motion part:




Here is the CCTV footage via the restaurant's entry/exit point (video #2):



So guys, do not leave your things unattended wherever you go. If you really need to, ask someone you trust to look after your belongings.

God bless us all.