Have you ever wondered why the police attribute all burglary incidents in this country to the so-called Akyat Bahay Gang? How about cops blaming “members” of the Martilyo Gang for every jewelry store robbery where hammers are used to perpetrate the crime?
You must have been amazed at how well funded and organized these gangs must be to operate in every nook and cranny of the country’s 7,100 islands. Then you ask yourself: How large are these gangs? How many members do they have?
The truth is, these “gangs” don’t exist and the police are only generalizing. “It may seem confusing but the ‘gangs’ are not real gangs. They don’t have actual members. Their names are based on the modi operandi perpetrated by the criminals,” a police major told Coconuts Manila.
He added that it has been “a practice” among policemen, who have a colorful jargon of their own, to attribute a crime to the modus while the perpetrators remain unidentified.
So, what are the popular “gangs” and how did the police come up with such names?
BURGLARS
Akyat Bahay Gang: The burglars got the name for obvious reasons: They climb into houses. Modern ABG also attack condominiums. ABG only loot the houses but they don’t hurt the occupants. Burglars who hogtie their victims belong to the Gapos Gang.
Here is security cam footage of a member of the “Akyat Bahay Gang” at work:
HYPNOTIC? MAYBE NOT
Budol-budol and Dugo-dugo Gangs:
Myth: Members hypnotize their victims.
Fact: These are forms of swindling where con men are good at sweet-talking.
Budol-budol stems from the word “boodle”, which means either counterfeit money or large amount of money. It was called such because the victims and some policemen, who were mostly from the provinces, pronounce boodle as budol. “It’s like uncle to uncol and tricycle to tricycol,” the police major said.
The Budol-budol modus has different variants. The conmen usually operate by creating scenarios to persuade the victims to give them any valuables they have.
Dugo-dugo, meanwhile, stems from the word dugo, the Filipino word for blood. These swindlers are notorious for tricking house helpers of moneyed families into handing over money or jewelry under false pretenses that their bosses or relatives figured in an accident and need quick cash.
SIPHONERS
Pa-ihi Gang: Refers to a form of fuel pilferage where criminals siphon off oil from tankers and sell them at a much lower price. Pa-ihi thieves avoid getting busted by replacing the stolen oil with kerosene. The ‘gang’ name stems from the Filipino word ihi or urine. It is also known as Patulo Gang.
CAR THIEVES
Donut Gang: This does not happen in donut houses and Homer Simpson is not the ringleader. The yummy-sounding gang got its name because the thieves steal the spare tires from vehicles in mall parking lots. The common targets are SUVs, pick-up trucks, and AUVs.
Bundol Gang: A mode of robbery and carjacking where victims, usually in high-end cars, are rear-ended (bundol). The victims include the niece of Commission on Elections commissioner Elias Yusoph and the brother-in-law of former presidential daughter Luli Arroyo. Senator Tito Sotto was almost victimized by this modus.
Bukas Kotse Gang: This “gang” targets parked cars or those stuck in heavy traffic. Thieves force open the vehicle to either hijack the car or steal from it.
Basag Kotse Gang: Thugs smash windshields, usually with the help of cloth to muzzle the sound, and steal the valuables inside the vehicle. Common targets are parked cars where unattended bags or other valuables, such as wallet and cellular phones, are visible through the windows.
Basag Itlog or Basag Kamatis Gang: A mode of robbery or carjacking where eggs or tomatoes are thrown at a moving car’s windshield to force the driver to stop and alight from the vehicle. Of the two, Basag Kamatis is worse. The tomato’s red pulp looks like blood, fooling some victims into thinking they’ve just run over someone.
BANK AND SHOP ROBBERS
Acetylene Gang: This originated in Northern Luzon with former miners as its members. The ‘gang’ works by boring holes on the walls or digging tunnels to break into an establishment. Once in, the perpetrators use acetylene tanks to open the vaults. Common targets are banks and pawnshops that are adjacent to vacant houses in populated areas.
If there are no vacant houses, the thieves transform into members of Termite Gang and use of manholes or huge drainage pipes to enter a store.
Bolt Cutter Gang: Thugs break into business establishments by destroying the stores’ padlocks using bolt cutters.
Martilyo Gang: Robbers use hammers (martilyo in Filipino) to smash the glass on jewelry display cases in malls. Modern criminal also use pipe wrenches.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION STICKUP KIDS
Sako Gang: Refers to bus or jeepney robberies where criminals place their loot inside a sack.
Ipit Taxi Gang: A form of robbery where two or three men suddenly board a taxi to rob its passenger. Often, the cab drivers are in cahoots with the robbers.
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Now, just because these “gangs” aren’t actually part of a vast criminal network, that doesn’t mean you should go around Metro Manila with your jewelry in plain sight or that you can leave your front doors unlocked. Metro Manila, while far from the being the gates of hell, has its share of devils.
Photo: Members of a bus robbery gang arrested by Paranaque City police.
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