


When we hear about purse snatchings, car break-ins, assaults and other crimes that affect our visitors, we know that tourists are going home with bad memories of island. Our reputation as a safe, friendly destination has been tarnished.

Despite the best efforts of the Guam Visitors Bureau, the Guam Police Department and various service clubs on island, the bad deeds of a few can have a disproportionate effect on our reputation.

A couple of alert and thoughtful store employees were able to make a bad situation a little better after someone snatched a tourist’s bag by Royal Orchid Guam Hotel in Tumon at 10:41 a.m. Tuesday.

More: GPD seeks help to find suspects in purse snatching near Royal Orchid Hotel

More: David Juanico, Deshannay Santos charged in purse-snatching spree, carjacking

Two hours later in Barrigada, Happy Mart employee Arikat Mwarepue was taking a break when he noticed a small white bag discarded in a shopping cart near the back of the building. He brought the bag to customer service and alerted his supervisor.

They opened the bag and found a passport and an airline ticket with a departure time less than three hours away.

Happy Mart manager Christopher Castor called the airline and learned the woman was there with a representative from Guam Visitors Bureau. The woman was able to retrieve her belongings and still make her flight home.

“She was crying, she shook my hand and kind of hugged me,” Castor said. “It was so sweet.”

It was an amazing conclusion to a story that could have ended badly for everyone.

“It’s sad because our island is so beautiful yet something like this happened,” Castor said. “When (visitors) go to a place, they should enjoy and relax.”

Mwarepue and Castor should be commended for taking swift action and going out of their way to right a wrong. Authorities said the visitor would have had to stay an extra two or three days if her passport hadn’t been located.

In addition to the hardship of being a crime victim, she would have had the expense, inconvenience and other consequences of extending a trip at the last minute and traveling home late.

Their actions serve as a reminder to all of us to be alert, courteous and helpful. Small gestures can make a big difference in someone else’s day.

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