Looks Like Attempted kidnapping

While my wife, boy, and I were in Manila yesterday, two filipino guys came to my gate and tried to open it but it was locked. Cutting out some details my sister went out to talk to them, they went to a lower part of my stone wall fence. They asked if my wife and I are home then showed a business card from friend A's business and mentioned friend A and his wife by name and also friend B and his wife by name, a common friend of me, and A, and said friend A sent them pick up my kid to go play with friend A's kids at some uncertain location. Once they found out no kids here they asked personal questions like what kind of car I have, how many kids, etc. My SIL gave them no answer so they made nasty comments to her. So she walked away and they walked down the street and a guy picked them up on a bike. Friend A and I and my SIL spent time at the Bacong PD filling out a report. The PD will investigate and do cruises by my house, which they already have.

 

Thanks. locked and loaded, didn't feed the dog tonight, taught my father-in-law some outdated martial arts, my boy will sleep with a spider man shirt, and gave the PD patrol their favourite beverage. Our school has notified all parents as two of us involved send our kids to the same school.

 

Echoing wryes words Pat, Be careful but don't let it stress you out too much, you have done the right thing all round. Of course you already know how many friends you have here, need anything, we are only a Phone call away!

JP

 

I agree with Charlie. I do not post anything that will directly reveal who I am or anything about my family that could either identify or locate us except to certain individuals. Crooks use facebook and other sources to find a target. My facebook page, which my wife set up except for personal info which I filled out, contains all ficticious info about birthdate, high school, home state, etc.

 

My grown children taught me never to post trips on Facebook during the trip, but to wait until I return home, so no one knows I am gone from my home. I do not "tag" anyone unless I have permission, as it may indicate their location if they are in a different town from the home..

 

This type of thing worries me, especially when I will most likely have less pesos than the guys wanting a ransom should worst come to worst, I and my kids here just plain do not have the means to ever pay a ransom if one were asked, and if the attempted kidnap was aimed at myself, I would just tell them to shoot me there and then because I do not have any money, I am unable to move quickly on crutches should I need to and I believe most cases they will shoot you once they have their money anyways, so to save a lot of trouble, just shoot me and save us all the pain...

 

I agree posting that I would be out of town was not wise. I didn't show all the details of what happened but the "will be out of town" post did not impact what occurred at my house Wednesday. When my SIL went to report this to the PD they told her there is a gang operating whose tactic is to tie up the parents and take then the kid(s) for ransom. When I went to the PD yesterday the on-duty officer was not aware of a gang operating here, other than drugs. We told them of one local worker who knows the 3 families involved and is a shabu turd so they will check him out.