Incident on Bus Number 70: Confrontation Between Pickpockets and Passengers

Journalist Lusine Jebejyan writes on her Facebook page: "Today, I was on bus number 70 heading to the Svitalsky press conference when three young men with suspicious behavior boarded the bus. One was wearing a coat thrown over his arm and had a bag on his shoulder. I sensed the pickpockets from about 100 meters away. I was observing carefully when suddenly two of them got off quickly, leaving one behind. He handed over 1000 drams, claiming it was for the other one. During this time, a woman started to panic, saying she had lost her wallet and was on her way to the doctor.

What should an average citizen do in such a situation? I managed to take a picture of the third accomplice and got him off the bus, bringing the victim along with me. I called the police. The pickpocket quickly contacted his friends and instructed them to bring the woman’s wallet back. During the process, he threatened to break my phone, complaining that I was making things difficult for him, cursing and making threats. I was shocked that bystanders at the stop were just watching like it was a theater performance and didn’t intervene.

Before the police arrived, the pickpocket’s friend returned the woman’s wallet. People on the street started applauding me, calling me a hero... I am not a hero; I am a citizen of the Republic of Armenia who does not want to live alongside criminals. My children should not live in such an indifferent and flawed society where someone else's pain is not your own.

P.S. I am publishing the pictures of these young men, which I have forwarded to the police."