Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Pawnshop workers, man sued for stealing P2M jewelry
THREE pawnshop employees and a man were charged with theft for allegedly stealing last year several jewelry items worth more than P2 million from the pawnshop they worked in.
Sued are Helen Monton, 39, former cashier at the Aiko's Pawnshop along San Pedro Street, Davao City, Maria Paz San Jose, 45, appraiser of the same pawnshop, Divina Lacubtan, 44, pawnshop clerk, and Napoleon Monton, Helen's husband.
In a resolution, Prosecutor Victor C. Sepulveda, who recommended the filing of charges, ruled that a probable cause exist as the initial complaint presented showed the accused have free access to the depository of jewelry items.
Sepulveda also ruled that Napoleon is implicated as an accessory to the crime because he willfully aided the three women in disposing the stolen items.
Myrna Valderrama, manager of the Aiko's Pawnshop, and Bernardo Solon, accountant, filed the complaint against the respondents.
Valderrama executed an affidavit, claiming she discovered the incident on the first week of January 2006.
After an inventory, she said, several items worth a total of P2,115,250.55 could not be accounted for.
Valderrama then asked Solon to conduct an investigation and let Helen, San Jose, and Lacubtan account for the missing items since they were the ones who had free access to the depository of the pawnshop.
She claimed the respondents later admitted to her that they stole the items and sold it to other pawnshops in Davao City between February 2005 and December 2005.
Valderrama added that the respondents also admitted that they divided the money and used it for their personal benefit.
Sepulveda set a bail of P40,000 for the temporary liberty of each of the respondents. All four remain at large. (JGRS)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (June 7, 2006 issue)
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