Thursday, December 13, 2007 Barangay councilor, tanods arrest jeepney thieves
FOUR suspected thieves were arrested in a hot pursuit operation by the tanods of Barangay Zapatera in Cebu City last Tuesday afternoon.
Senior Insp. Michael Bastes, Theft and Robbery Section chief, identified the suspects as Rodel D. Catalan, 32; Fernando P. Sic-sic, 36; Bartolome B. Eco Jr., 28; and Joemar M. Dasigan, 22; all from Ormoc City.
They were turned over to the police after they were arrested by Zapatera Councilor Frank Benedicto and tanods.
The four were arrested at 5:45 p.m. after allegedly victimizing Christine B. Parohinog, 26, of Barangay Camputhaw inside a jeepney.
Companions
Parohinog and her boyfriend were on board a Lahug-bound jeepney when the suspects and two other companions connived in taking her wallet from her shoulder bag. The two companions escaped.
The suspects disembarked in Barangay Zapatera.
After noticing that her wallet was gone, Parohinog asked for help from the Zapatera Barangay Hall.
Wallet
Benedicto and a team of tanods chased the suspects and arrested the four.
The wallet was recovered from the possession of one of the suspects. But P27,000 cash was missing.
Bastes said the group’s modus operandi is distracting the attention of the other passengers while they are trying to steal the belongings of a victim.
Theft complaints were filed against the suspects before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office. (JST)
