MANILA – A 20-year-old woman foiled an attempt of a taxi driver who attempted to flee after snatching her handbag by holding on and biting his arm until rescuers arrived to help her in suburban Quezon City, Metro Manila, police reported.
Police identified the suspect as Joey Grajo, 29, who was later discovered to be allegedly involved in many snatching cases when the other victims learned of his arrest and detention and filed their complaints in a police substation in Quezon City.
Grajo’s latest victim was identified as Lara Asis, 20, an employee of the Philippine National Red Cross branch in Quezon City.
“The other victims of Grajo have a lot to thank Asis for his arrest,†said the police investigator assigned to handle the case. “She’s one hell of a woman.â€
Asis told investigators Grajo snatched her handbag while she and her friend were walking on their way home from work at the back of the Quezon City Hall at about 11 pm on Monday.
But instead of just letting the snatcher go, Asis said she held on to her bag and clung to the window of the taxicab when Grajo tried to speed away.
Asis recalled she even bit the arm of the suspect several times as she was dragged along several blocks before help arrived in the form of other taxicab drivers and village volunteer watchmen who heard her cries for help.
Not surprisingly, Grajo was beaten black and blue by the rescuers before they turned him over to the police, the investigator said.
The investigator said one of the watchmen positively identified Grajo as the one whom he accosted while inside a car which was parked in their village a few weeks ago.
The watchman said his interest was aroused when the car Grajo was driving bore a yellow license plate reserved only for taxis and similar public utility vehicles.
When police arrived, the watchman said Grajo was allowed to leave on the promise that he would bring the documents regarding the vehicle. He never returned but police said they later discovered the vehicle was a “hot car,†meaning stolen.
For his part, the investigator disclosed that when they learned of his arrest, several victims, mostly women, arrived at the police substation and positively identified Grajo as the one who snatched their bags.
Based on their testimonies, the victims said they were walking home usually at night when Grajo would drive up behind, grab their bags and then speed away.
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