A THIEF who carted away items worth around P940,000 from a car owned by a businesswoman in Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City was arrested in a manhunt operation on Holy Thursday, April 6, 2023.
The suspect was identified as Ritchie Mabuti Rodriguez, 26, a resident of Sitio N.G.A, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.
His victim asked police not to be named, but said that she lost her P200,000 worth Louis Vuitton bag that contained valuable items while her car was parked on Governor Cuenco Avenue in Barangay Kasambagan on April 6, 2023.
The bag contained a keyboard worth P20,000, Apple tablet worth P60,000, gold necklace with a cross diamond pendant worth P250,000, a bracelet and a ring worth P300,000, P60,000 cash, and a gold ring worth P50,000.
Police Major Eraño Regidor, chief of Mabolo Police Station, said they launched an investigation after the victim reported the incident. They identified the suspect through the closed circuit television footage they obtained from the establishment where the car was parked on April 6.
The suspect was nabbed on the same day and recovered some of the items.
Police said the suspect already used P40,000 cash and sold the gold ring.
“Ang estorya ani naabot ning biktima sakay sa iyang sakyanan. Pagkanaog niya, wala niya ma lock ang pultahan sa iyang sakyanan, nya kining suspect nilipot sa luyo ug giablihan ang iyang sakyanan ug gikuha ang bag aning negosyante. Gi-salisi siya ba, maayo na lang kay klaro kaayo ang iyang nawong sa CCTV,” said Regidor.
(The victim arrived in the area, but forgot to lock her car when she left. The suspect then opened the car and took the bag. It was just fortunate that the suspect’s face is very clear on the CCTV footage.)
He said the suspect is a notorious thief who was also arrested before. (AYB/LMY)