Woman loses P1,500 cash, cell phone to budol gang

A 46-YEAR-OLD woman lost her shoulder bag with P1,500 cash, a mobile phone and other belongings to two women con-artists using a budol-budol modus operandi yesterday morning in barangay Basak, Mandaue City.

Josie Garido, 46,   reported the incident to the Mandaue City police station.

She said she was walking along Rizal Street when a woman approached her for  help.

The woman told  Garido she was looking for a car rental service when another woman arrived and volunteered to help them.

The second woman said she knew of a car rental establishment but said it would be risky to bring cash to the place.

The women, who made the scene appear like a chance meeting, convinced Garido to be the custodian of the first woman’s cash placed inside a pouch.

As a guarantee, the two swindlers asked for Garido’s bag with P1,500 cash and mobile phone inside. The victim agreed and turned over her bag.

After an hour, Garido got suspicious when  the two women didn’t return. She opened the pouch and found a wad of cut pieces of paper made to appear like a bundle of money. The use of fake cash or budol-budol to earn a victi’s trust is a common stragegy of con-artists./correspondent norman mendoza