Zoom has emerged as a mainstay in remote learning, working, and communicating. It’s also been the arena for some major mishaps in the last few months of quarantine—people peeing on camera, bosses accidentally turning themselves into potatoes, a teacher having a stroke in the middle of a lesson, and now this. Last week in Ecuador, schoolchildren watched horrified as an innocent young girl was robbed in front of them… on camera.
The girl, identified as Maria Jose, sat in front of her computer, participating in an English lesson at home in her city of Ambato in Tungurahua, Ecuador. Suddenly, masked burglars burst in behind her, totally unaware that their crime was being recorded and broadcast to a group of 25 people. Maria’s screen then froze as the thieves proceeded to steal her laptop, a safe containing $4000, guns, a knife, two cell phones, and a video game console.
Maria’s tuned-in classmates saw it all going down and spoke up, repeatedly calling out, “They are robbing Maria’s house! They are robbing Maria’s house!” Her oblivious teacher then responds, “Where?”
Luckily, one of the students had Maria’s phone number and address and was able to call her as well as report the incident to authorities. She was unharmed.
A police report from Ecuador Police read: ‘During this operation, units from the Organised Motorized Group (GOM) were dispatched and were informed of the criminal act upon arriving at the location. The perpetrators of the robbery fled the scene by motorcycle and thanks to the location of the mobile phones they robbed, they were located and captured in an area known as “Huachi Grande”.’
Four suspects have been arrested and identified as Luis C., Valentin P., Carlos A. and Dorian R.
via YouTube
Maria wound up getting her laptop back, so she can return to her remote learning. I wouldn’t blame her if she took an extended vacation though.
