What you are about to read happened to me last week, I just had to bring it here, because the more I try to wrap my head around it, the more questions comes to mind.
About a month ago I moved to another city, but considering its a totally different culture, I have just been gradually trying to settle in. So, on Tuesday Last week, I noticed a plumbing issue in my room, for which I went to seek the caretaker who lives within the compound. I later found him in one of the rooms trying to fix some things for another new tenant who I will refer to as Sandra henceforth. I laid my complaints to the man and briefly spoke with Sandra who told me aje was an undergraduate.
About an hour later, the caretaker came to my room to checkout the problem I was having, Sandra came with him, and as we were making small talks, she walked into my kitchen and pointed out that my pots and other cooking utensils were still new and unused, then i told her I haven't started cooking because I don't know my way around yet, so I haven't been to the market. She then offered to go to the market with me whenever I was ready.
The next day being Wednesday I made a list of things to buy, among which were some packaged and canned foods, for this we went to a mall. After picking the items, we had to join the queue at the payment point, while there, I remembered some things which I needed but haven't included in my list, so I handed over my ATM card to Sandra and gave her the PIN considering it was almost our turn in the queue, then went to pick those things. Now, I did this because, I didn't want a situation where after paying for the original items, I will have to join a fresh queue with the new items. Although I came back just as she was about to pay, so I was able to include the new items, we paid and left. Suffice to say that I had her pick one or two things for herself.
On getting home, I immediately went to an ATM and changed my PIN, just to be safe.
Two days later, Sandra came to my room sound 7:15pm telling me she wanted to go buy relaxer and shampoo but as its getting dark that she can't go alone, and she asked that I come with her, I obliged, as you would expect.
After buying the shampoo, we started heading home. Now, there are two possible routes home, the sandy road which was nearer and the tarred road which was farther, Sandra then insisted we take the tarred road saying she didn't want sand on her feet, but that was the route we took while going.
Just as we approached my compound, 3 guys rounded us up and told us to handover everything we had on us. I have to point out that after this whole incident, I could recall that while we were walking home, Sandra was texting on her phone and kept looking back. When one of the guys made the request, Sandra now asked them 'for what' immediately one of the guys landed her a slap and pushed her down. Then he turned to me and gave me a blow to the mouth saying I was wasting his time, then he reached for my back pocket and retrieved my wallet, then he asked me the PIN, I gave him a wrong PIN the first time and this was met with a hot slap to my face, then he asked again and i gave him the same PIN again, then he gave me a kick to the hip, I was almost paralysed, he now grabbed my throat, I had no choice than to give him the real PIN, then he left me and they ran off. Interestingly, the PIN I gave to him was the old PIN which I changed few days ago, but my intention was not to lie, in fact I meant to tell the truth, but then that PIN had stuck to my memory+ as I have been using it for the past 3 years.
Immediately they left, I made a dash for my room, with Sandra in hot pursuit, but I didn't let her come to my room with me, I called the bank Customer Service and told them to block my card, although the thieves had the wrong PIN, I felt they could still compromise the card.
The next day, Sandra was in my room and she kept trying to get me to talk about the incident of the last day, but I wasn't interested, she kept asking me, if the PIN I gave them was the right one, I mean it should be, after all that was the right PIN as far as she knew, she asked if I could recognise the guys, I said no, she asked if its possible for the card to be hacked without the PIN, I was just acting ignorant, but I've already started having my reservations about her.
Later, I decided out of curiosity to check Sandra out on Facebook, while checking the photos on her profile, I saw pictures she took and uploaded with the same guy that slapped and pushed her down while we were been robbed, I was dumbfounded to say the least.
Then it became clear to me, she set me up to be robbed. Now my questions are,
Why did she insist we take the tarred road, considering we took the sandy road while going to the Shop
How come the thieves reached straight into the pocket with my wallet?
How come they never asked for our mobile phones, naturally, that should be their first question
How come immediately I gave the guy the 'right' PIN he acceded?
Who was Sandra texting while we walked home
And, the FB picture shows she knows the guy after all.
My problem now is, should I confront Sandra d tell her I know what happened or should I just let it slide? Since that day she's been trying to cosy up to me, but the more she tries the more I become worried and wary.
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