American tourist waiting for train loses P20,000 to pickpocket

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MANILA, Philippines—An American tourist lost P20,000 cash to a pickpocket at a Light Rail Transit  station in Manila on Thursday afternoon, the police said.

David Thomas Whitmore, 47, of North Carolina, immediately reported the theft to the Manila Police District General Assignment Section (MPD-GAS), claiming that the thief most likely preyed on him while he was at the LRT Line 1 United Nations Avenue station in Ermita.

Police Officer 3 Jayjay Jacob, case investigator, said the incident happened at around 3 p.m. Thursday while Whitmore was waiting at the station platform for a Baclaran-bound train, on his way back to his hotel in Pasay City.

Jacob pointed out that the pickpocket, based on the complaint, took the tourist’s wallet containing P20,000 cash as well as several credit and identification cards.

Although Whitmore was not able to see who could have picked his pocket, operatives of the MPD-GAS are conducting follow-up operations for the assailant’s arrest as well as the possible recovery of the stolen items.  With a report from Julliane De Jesus