Got this link from Andre, which made me think of The Ringmaster, the Spider-Man villain who wore a top hat with a spiral disc that he used to hypnotize people. Also remember other super-villains like Mesmero and the Purple Man.
Then there was that man I met in KL and it's just all too embarrassing to tell how I got conned into giving him several hundred ringgit. (My mom thinks I was hypnotized. I think I was just too scared and too stupid to do anything else.)
Anyway, here's the report about...
Hypnotism used in thefts
By Alcuin Papa, Philippine Daily Inquirer
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080925-162884/Hypnotism-used-in-thefts
Criminals are now more creative in preying on their victims by employing new techniques which include, believe it or not, hypnotism, an anti-crime group has warned.
In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Tessie Ang See of the Movement for the Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO), warned the public on Thursday, particularly Chinese Filipino families, to be more vigilant, aware and informed of the new modus operandi used by criminal groups.
“Criminals are now more creative in perpetrating their dastardly acts, more so since these are difficult times. Chinoy (Chinese Filipino) families are especially vulnerable,” she said.
One of the newer and more unusual methods is the use of hypnotism, according to Ang See.
She explained that they received stories from three victims allegedly hypnotized into giving up their cash and valuables. According to Ang See, three women speaking in Mandarin roam the streets of Binondo and swoop down on unsuspecting Chinese females walking alone.
“Through some form of hypnotic suggestion, the victims follow the commands of the women,” Ang See said.
One victim was hypnotized into going back to her residence in Quezon City to retrieve her cash and valuables and return to Binondo to turn them over to the hypnotizers. Another victim even went to her bank to open her safe deposit boxes.
Another victim, Ang See said, felt weak after the perpetrators tapped her on the shoulder. She went home, took her valuables from her cabinet and turned them over to the thieves. She then fell asleep and awoke refreshed and puzzled as to how she agreed to give the thieves her valuables.
Ang See said they requested the victims to provide a sketch of the perpetrators to warn other potential victims and help police arrest suspects.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
The Firestarter
Here’s another case that I noticed in the Inquirer last year, mainly because the circumstances reminded me of one of stories in TRESE.
The two women were found burned in two separate motels. They were found two days apart.
The first woman was around 60 to 65 years old. She was found in Sweet Hotel at the corner of Rizal Avenue and C.M. Recto Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila in Room 320. The staff noticed thick smoke coming out of the room around 2am, which prompted them to open the door. In the room police found pink shorts, a yellow shirt with the name “Norma” on it, and a pair of beige shoes which could’ve belonged to the victim.
The second woman was around 30 to 35 years old. She found in Happy Inn Motel on Palma and Paterno Streets, Quiapo in Room 207. She was found naked on the bed, wrapped in a blanket. The body was found at 5:25pm. In the room, police found denim jeans, a pink belt, a pink T-shirt, yellow blouse, shoulder bag and rubber shoes that could have belonged to the victim.
In the autopsy, smoke was found in the lungs of both victims, indicating that they were burned alive.
Chief Insp. Dominador Arevalo, head of the Manila Police District homicide division, said the inability to identify both victims and the suspect made further investigation difficult. In a report posted on Feburary 29, 2007, the bodies were brought to Popular Funeral Homes and were not yet claimed.
The homicide chief said the crimes could have been done by the same person who was described as around 30-35-years old, male, about 5’6” in height. He reportedly stayed overnight in the motels with the victims. The artist’s sketches of the man in both incidents were similar, Arevalo said. In the case of the second victim, the room was registered in the name of Marvin Cachola.
So, were both crimes committed by the same unsub?
In both crimes, the witnesses saw the victims enter the motel with the unsub, which meant the victims knew the unsub. They trusted him enough to go with him into the room.
Was the first crime his “dress rehearsal”? Maybe the unsub chose an older victim, which he could easily subdue and the second victim was he intended target.
No other incidents were reported after those two victims.
Although, it is interesting to note that in the past year, there have been a lot of fires throughout the city. Is it possible that those fires were started by the same unsub and that there were victims that weren’t discovered because the fire burned up the whole building?
Below are links to the reports:
1
Badly burned body of woman found in hotel room
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080223-120654/Badly-burned-body-of-woman-found-in-hotel-room
By Tina Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 02/23/2008
2
Another woman burned in motel
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080224-120937/Another-woman-burned-in-motel
By Allison Lopez, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 02/24/2008
3
Woman in motel fire burned alive
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080225-120979/Woman-in-motel-fire-burned-alive
By Tina Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 02/25/2008
4
Woman’s burned body found in motel
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080226-121192/Womans-burned-body-found-in-motel
By Tina Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 02/26/2008
5
2 burned women found in motels remain unidentified
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080229-121874/2-burned-women-found-in-motels-remain-unidentified
By Allison Lopez, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 02/29/2008
The two women were found burned in two separate motels. They were found two days apart.
The first woman was around 60 to 65 years old. She was found in Sweet Hotel at the corner of Rizal Avenue and C.M. Recto Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila in Room 320. The staff noticed thick smoke coming out of the room around 2am, which prompted them to open the door. In the room police found pink shorts, a yellow shirt with the name “Norma” on it, and a pair of beige shoes which could’ve belonged to the victim.
The second woman was around 30 to 35 years old. She found in Happy Inn Motel on Palma and Paterno Streets, Quiapo in Room 207. She was found naked on the bed, wrapped in a blanket. The body was found at 5:25pm. In the room, police found denim jeans, a pink belt, a pink T-shirt, yellow blouse, shoulder bag and rubber shoes that could have belonged to the victim.
In the autopsy, smoke was found in the lungs of both victims, indicating that they were burned alive.
Chief Insp. Dominador Arevalo, head of the Manila Police District homicide division, said the inability to identify both victims and the suspect made further investigation difficult. In a report posted on Feburary 29, 2007, the bodies were brought to Popular Funeral Homes and were not yet claimed.
The homicide chief said the crimes could have been done by the same person who was described as around 30-35-years old, male, about 5’6” in height. He reportedly stayed overnight in the motels with the victims. The artist’s sketches of the man in both incidents were similar, Arevalo said. In the case of the second victim, the room was registered in the name of Marvin Cachola.
So, were both crimes committed by the same unsub?
In both crimes, the witnesses saw the victims enter the motel with the unsub, which meant the victims knew the unsub. They trusted him enough to go with him into the room.
Was the first crime his “dress rehearsal”? Maybe the unsub chose an older victim, which he could easily subdue and the second victim was he intended target.
No other incidents were reported after those two victims.
Although, it is interesting to note that in the past year, there have been a lot of fires throughout the city. Is it possible that those fires were started by the same unsub and that there were victims that weren’t discovered because the fire burned up the whole building?
Below are links to the reports:
1
Badly burned body of woman found in hotel room
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080223-120654/Badly-burned-body-of-woman-found-in-hotel-room
By Tina Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 02/23/2008
2
Another woman burned in motel
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080224-120937/Another-woman-burned-in-motel
By Allison Lopez, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 02/24/2008
3
Woman in motel fire burned alive
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080225-120979/Woman-in-motel-fire-burned-alive
By Tina Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 02/25/2008
4
Woman’s burned body found in motel
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080226-121192/Womans-burned-body-found-in-motel
By Tina Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 02/26/2008
5
2 burned women found in motels remain unidentified
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080229-121874/2-burned-women-found-in-motels-remain-unidentified
By Allison Lopez, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 02/29/2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
armed with guns and magical amulets
There are been several incidents in Philippine history when policemen or the military encountered people who armed themselves with so-called magical amulets.
So far, there have been no known reports of these people surviving when the law men opened fire.
Amulets clues to suspected robbers in Makati shootout
By DJ Yap, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 08/29/2008
The identities of the suspected robbers who engaged the police in a gunfight in the middle of a Makati street Thursday remained unknown but the police said Friday they had uncovered some clues about the group.
The clues included amulets they wore that were similar to those worn by the suspects who staged a P2.7 million heist along Gil Puyat Avenue in front of Caltex gas station in June, in which two of the suspects died, the police said.
READ THE COMPLETE REPORT AT:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080829-157614/Amulets-clues-to-suspected-robbers-in-Makati-shootout
So far, there have been no known reports of these people surviving when the law men opened fire.
Amulets clues to suspected robbers in Makati shootout
By DJ Yap, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 08/29/2008
The identities of the suspected robbers who engaged the police in a gunfight in the middle of a Makati street Thursday remained unknown but the police said Friday they had uncovered some clues about the group.
The clues included amulets they wore that were similar to those worn by the suspects who staged a P2.7 million heist along Gil Puyat Avenue in front of Caltex gas station in June, in which two of the suspects died, the police said.
READ THE COMPLETE REPORT AT:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080829-157614/Amulets-clues-to-suspected-robbers-in-Makati-shootout
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