Zach Kirihara, a University senior, was walking home with a couple of his friends from the bars around 1 a.m. Sunday, March 11, on Alder between 15th and 16th Avenues. A silver four-door sedan pulled up to the curb and an African-American woman called to the group from the passenger-side window asking to borrow a cell phone. Kirihara, upon hearing that they were from his home state of California, decided to help the people in the car and handed his iPhone 3Gs to call their friends.
The car then sped down Alder St. with his phone and disappeared from view. Kirihara was unable to see the license plate or make of the car.
“It’s a good little scam they have going,” Kirihara said. He attempted to chase them down on foot, but he only got a block before the car took a right onto 18th Ave.
Less than an hour later, a similar incident was reported to the Eugene Police Department. A man in his early 20s reported to have his iPhone stolen by four African-American males and one female in a silver four-door sedan.
Stanley Moy, a University senior, was walking home on Patterson St. at 3 a.m. from his friend’s apartment when the silver sedan pulled up to him, asking to borrow his cellphone. He was skeptical but after they continued to ask, he decided to help them out. He turned on speaker phone and asked for the number they wanted him to call. When Moy asked the driver of the car to repeat the number, the woman in the passenger seat became agitated and looked directly at Moy, revealing her face.
“I was able to see her face,” Moy said. “If I saw her again, I would be able to pick her out of a crowd.”
As with previous situations, the car snatched the phone and drove eastbound on 18th Avenue. Moy’s friend, who was with him during the incident, was able to get the license plate for the car. EPD looked the license plate up and discovered that it belonged to a car rental agency in Portland, OR.
“I think these guys are looking for thrill,” Moy said. “I wouldn’t say that they are professional, but they know what they are doing.”
Moy and Kirihara both described the occupants of the car to be African-Americans; Moy saying that he saw two men and three women and Kirihara saw one male and two female.
EPD spokesperson Melinda McLaughlin said that the police department has followed up with the victims as well as the rental agency.
“It’s too bad that people would take advantage of somebody trying to help like that,” McLaughlin said. “The most important thing is to not be too trusting. Try and be helpful, but know that there is a risk that they will steal.”
McLaughlin also explains that stealing a cellphone can result in more than a quick buck from the internet — information is stored in the phone’s applications that can compromise a person’s identity.
“Don’t place yourself in a position to be a victim,” McLaughlin said. “Strangers don’t come up often to ask for help. Most of the time, they are trying to get close to you.”
Moy believed that he let his guard down because of his fatigue at 3 a.m., but had a feeling that something was wrong. He chose to ignore his feelings and help the suspects.
“You’ve really got to trust your instincts,” Moy said. “Just because it’s a typical weekend doesn’t mean that you should be aware of your surroundings.”