Matatu thieves - wearing me down
on A Serendipitous Journey (Kenya), 27/Jan/2010 06:44, 34 days ago
I woke up this morning to sunshine beaming through my window and was in a really good mood, excited for a productive day ahead. Two hours later, the story has changed - I’m frustrated and that happy mood is long gone.On my second of three matatus to work this morning, there was only one seat left in the very back corner. Running a little late, I hopped in and sat beside a man who I quickly noticed had a big empty bag on his lap. (Warning sign #1– often theives will carry a big bag or envelope and put in over your lap, then reach into your pocket or handbag, as you can’t see what their hands are doing.) As I took my money out of my small change purse to pay my fare, he was eyeing my bag a little too closely (Warning sign #2). After a number of passengers disembarked and there were better seats near the front, he, nor his friend moved, keeping me in the corner (Warning sign #3). Then a big stocky man actually made the move back into the seat in front of me basically meaning I was surrounded on 3 sides - 1 directly in front, 1 diagonally in front and 1 beside me (Warning sign #4). As this is happening, my grip on my bag is getting tighter and I’m moving it as far away from them as possible. What sealed the deal, was when the big guy, with no police officers around, starting telling everyone around they needed to put their seat belts on quickly (Warning sign #5 – a great strategy to distract the person you are trying to steal from while they open your bag.) And when this didn’t work (I mumbled I didn’t care and would just pay the fine), he announced his seat belt was dirty (nobody wears seatbelts on matatus) movedback to the very back pushing the other guy over and crowding me. Right as he did this, I stood up and told the conductor to let me off right away and was dropped in front of a supermarket where there are security guards out front (as I did this the big guy actually grabbed my hair).I sat on a bench inside the compound for a while trying to rationalize everything again, took a quick walk and then proceeded to work, a little too on-edge.I try not to let such people or incidents spoil my day, but 3 mobile phones and 2 wallets later, it’s wearing on me. It happens every day to Kenyans and foreigners alike - I happen to stand out a little more as an easy target I think. Today they didn't win though... :-) so I guess maybe that's the positive in it all.