Phlippines robbers transmit photos of people to rob taking mass transit

From picturephoning.com I see that robbers in the Philippines are taking camera phone photos of potential victims on the mass transit system and transmitting the images to accomplices who rob the passenger, according to an article from the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

One or two members of a crime syndicate stand near a ticket booth of the Light Rail or Metro Rail Transit systems and watch people taking out their wallets to pay for tickets.

“The spotter would then follow the intended victim inside the train and then call or text or send a photo of the victim to their members on the ground.  When the target gets off the train, one of the robbers would drape his arm around the victim’s shoulder while another would get the contents of the victim’s bag,” the article says.