Boracay police warn tourists: Beware of thieves, secure your belongings

Despite police visibility in the newly opened resort island, Boracay police are urging tourists to secure their belongings.

This was the call of Chief Insp. Bryan Gregorio, deputy spokesman of the Western Visayas police, after two foreign nationals, lost their money during their stay.

Boracay island was closed to the public for six months for rehabilitation purposes and was only opened last October 26.

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According to the police investigation, the bags of two Italian tourists were opened by thieves from an apparent “salisi” scheme.

Gregorio said that though policemen are guarding “strategic” locations around the island, they could not monitor every tourist in the island.

Nevertheless, Gregorio vowed not to let another theft happen in Boracay.

“Nakakahiya nga, kaka-reopen lang natin pero mayroon nasalisihan. We will ensure na ito’y hindi na mauulit at sana iyung mga turista maging alert din para hindi ito maganap sa kanila,” he said in an interview with Dzmm.

(It is embarrassing that we just opened Boracay and this happened. We will ensure that this incident will not happen again. We hope the tourists would be alert so this won’t happen to them.)

He also advised the public to take responsibility for their belongings, citing that unattended luggage provides thieves with a “crime of opportunity.”

“Wag sila maging kampante na although ang Boracay ay maraming police na nagbabantay, kinakailagan isecure pa rin nila yung kanilang belongings kasi crime of opportunity pa rin ito kapag napabayaan nila ang kanilang kagamitan,” he said.

(Tourists should not be complacent. Even if many policemen are guarding the areas, they need to secure their belongings so as not to give the “crime of opportunity” to thieves.) /ee

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