Monday, December 22, 2008 Pickpocket caught red-handed By Ernie Olson Jr.
AN ALLEGED pickpocket was jailed, after he was caught red-handed by his intended victim, while trying to steal two of his cellular phones beside Abanao Square early Friday morning.
The arrested suspect was identified Saturday on records of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) as Nelson Oritana Balcita, 28, single, a jobless resident here of City Camp, who hails from San Carlos, Pangasinan.
His intended victim, on the other hand, was named Mark Bautista Eisma, 20, single, a resident here of Crystal Cave, Bakakeng Central, and who comes from Sto. Tomas, La Union.
According to Eisma, he was walking with some companions in front of a popular Chinese fastfood restaurant along Lower Zandueta Street, when he noticed somebody put a hand into the left pocket of his jacket at 7:10 a.m. Friday.
Grabbing the hand, it turned out to be that of Balcita, who was prevented from escaping, when Eisma's companions also joined in restraining the suspect.
Prevented from being stolen then were two of the intended victim's Nokia cellular phones with a total value of P21,500.
After the suspect's arrest, he was brought in by Eisma and his companions to BCPO Station 7's Community Police Assistance Center 1 and turned over to personnel of the Market Task Force, who put him through a custodial investigation.
The suspect was subsequently detained in the Baguio City Jail, on theft charges, upon the instructions of duty inquest Prosecutor Ruth Bernabe.
