Yesterday we left our couchsurfing host's place and were headed to a Buddhist temple for a 6pm English meditation class (however no the correct date). Not to point any fingers but I insisted on taking our things to the guest house first but since the temple was closer and the time for the class was approaching, my mother insisted going there first.
So with all my shit packed with one backpack on my back and one on my chest, pockets full, we headed in. Just as we were about to squeeze (and I really mean squeeze) through the doorway we were bum-rushed by a gang of youths about my age who were pretending to rudely overtake us in getting through the door as a distraction.
As the rudely pushed by and pushed my mother inside ( I only thought they were being the usual rude pushy Asians) I heard the Velcro of my pocket rip open. At that exact moment I knew what was happening so without hesitation I whipped around and shoved whomever was behind me down the stairs (which turned out to be a stalky young male).
I was FURIOUS! Raging like a bull I began shouting out him and as he got up, continued to shout and push him. Of course I fell right into their trap.
While I was distracted with the one male another of the gang members picket my iPod out of my pocket while my rage was flowing and my attention completely diverted from the fact that there was 4 or 5 of them.
As I pushed and threatened the male he continued to snicker. I had without knowing let the criminals escape thinking I had all of my possessions and therefore sought no further violence.
As we convened inside the temple and removed the heavy packs I soon realized that my ipod was missing... The police were called and I attempted to track down the young gang but unfortunately my search started too late.
The police arrived and a few hours later we came to the police station and gave statements and looked at photographs. Unfortunately the rage caused my short-term to become non-existent even though for several seconds I was staring one of them in the face so I could not I.D. them.
Upon leaving the police station a panicked young man ran up to us and the police officer escorting us out.
He was distressed and it turned out that he had been chased by a gang that was following us. He had noticed that this gang of criminals was following when we were walking to the police station. The gang noticed him following and began chasing him until he got close to the police station.
Being the ONLY white person with a blonde 6" mohawk I am a pretty easy target. My life might be in danger, even still.
So the next day I washed my hair and geared up for war.
I decided that obviously they were preying on tourists in transition. So I recruited two guys and a girl to wear some backpacks propped up with cloths and we placed socks in their pockets to make them look full and used headphones connected to nothing as the bait.
Me and the other guy were dressed down. I dressed like I was military and hid my mohawk. The girl and guy we walked around the city as planned, especially in the places where the gang was last and trailed far or waited out of sight.
Eventually, around 8pm I imagine, we were downtown near the police station where I think they chased the one young man.
I was robbed in broad day light right around 1800 and it's light out until about 2130. So around 2000 we spotted a gang of guys and girls following our setup of a French couple on the move.
We watched for a while and waited for them to appear more obvious. I don't remember their faces exactly so I didn't want to be too wrong (because hey a gang of pickpockets is a gang of pickpockets). They also dress really nice and look clean, they blend in.
They got closer and looked suspicious enough and I was certain the guy in the red and white hat was the same guy that I had the initial confrontation with.
I signaled the other French guy that wasn't with the couple and I began to stalk them closely until I was in a running distance where even if they heard me it would be too late.
I think the French guy I was with signaled the couple or maybe it was just a perfect setup and timing but they headed for one of the large restaurants and as they did the gang quickened their pace to almost running to rush them just as my mother and I had been rushed.
So, in broad daylight with people watching just like what happened to me, we sprang OUR trap. Punked their asses right in the street (I pulled up wearing a camo wrap around my face so I looked a little suspicious to the on lookers) and no one intervened except a lot of shouting.
The girls we let run away and me and the two Frenchmen hopefully taught a lesson to the pickpockets of UB or at least those three little shits. After being sure to break the nose of the guy with the hat and a few swift kicks we let them go. On lookers soon reacting to us which ended up being difficult to explain with the exception of some other tourists so we departed quickly as well.
What tomorrow holds for me I don't know. All I know is that I might have to keep my looks toned down until I leave for Russia. I don't have any friends here and the French who helped well they're only staying at the guest house until tomorrow. O_O
I could have dug myself a deeper hole and I still don't have my iPod. Tomorrow though I'm going to the street where I got pick-pocketed to look for security cameras and hopefully get them behind bars.
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