Beware! ‘Itching powder’ scam is the latest bike scam in town: Watch it unfold [Video]
Monday, June 25, 2018 IST
There are many known scams in India that thieves use to scam motorists. The popular thak-thak gang to the oil leaking scam, all have been well documented by CCTV cameras on roads. As people get aware of such scams, they become very attentive on the road to not fall for such scams. Nonetheless, thieves use new methods and new scams to try and loot people. Here is a video from Pune showing how an ‘itching power’ is used to loot motorists.
VIDEO
What is happening here?
The video shows a man with a red bag, which is reportedly full of cash. The man can be seen keeping the bag under the scooter seat in a crowded parking. The video shows three gang members using a new method to take away the bag from the person.
At first, a gang member crosses the target very closely and puts some itch-inducing power on his neck. The power reacts instantly and vigorously when it comes in contact with the skin and the victim can be seen disoriented by the sudden itch. He leaves the bag in the under seat storage of the scooter and walks away to open his shirt. He does so while keeping an eye on the red bag that he has left in the storage.
When the gang members realise that the man is still keeping an eye on the bag, a thief walks to him and tells him that something has fallen down from his shirt’s pocket. This is to distract the victim from the bag. The victim falls for it and walks towards the place where the gang member pointed. In the meantime, a third person comes and swiftly takes away the bag from the scooter.
VIDEO
This is not the first time that the scam has happened, but it sure is rare and has been caught clearly on the CCTV camera for the first time. Such scammers majorly strike two-wheeler users as they are more exposed and the powder can be slipped easily through the clothes. There is no report on cops pursuing the case as of now.
Can you be safe from this?
It is always a good idea to use a more secure vehicle like a car while transporting cash or other valuable items. On two-wheelers, one should be very careful about the surroundings and keep the bags or any package secure under the lock. While it is not possible to safely keep packages on a bike, it sure is possible on any scooter as they offer an under-seat storage space. On bikes, people may install luggage boxes to keep their valuables safe from such scammers.
Related Topics
Trending News & Articles
More in