Almost P500T lost in two Carmen burglaries

CEBU, Philippines - A policeman and a woman lost almost P500,000 worth of valuables and cash in separate burglary incidents yesterday dawn in the barangays of Cogon East and Poblacion in the town of Carmen.

Senior Police Officer 2 Ricky Fernandez of the 701st Maritime Police Station of the Regional Maritime Office-7 reported the break-in at his house to the Carmen Police Station about 7 a.m. after he noticed that their valuables were gone.

Fernandez, a resident of Burgos St., Barangay Cogon East, alleged that burglars came in as they slept and they did not even notice anything.

The burglars took a portable DVD player worth P7,000; two children’s watches worth P2,000; an 18-karat gold wristwatch worth P200,000; two cellular phones worth P12,000; a wallet with P13,000 cash and another wallet containing P3,000 cash.

The burglars also made off with his service firearm, a Glock 9mm pistol, which was placed in the cabinet of their room. Police said burglars were able to enter the house by detaching six jalousie blades from the window at the back of the house and sneaked inside.

Investigators suspect the same burglars victimized Andresa Lagahit, 54, of Barangay Poblacion.

Lagahit also lost two cellular phones, a wallet containing P800 cash and P200 in earnings from her store.

She suspects she may have left the kitchen door unlocked and the unidentified men may have entered through there.

Senior Insp. Bonifacio Arriesgado, chief of the Carmen Police Station, said they believe that the two burglaries were committed by the same perpetrators.

Arriesgado told The FREEMAN that they already have the identities of the perpetrators who are reportedly minors.

“Mga teenager ni sila from 17 below kay duna mi nadakpan pero nakadagan ang tulo, dili man gihapon ma-priso labi na ang complainant wa dayon kabantay nga nawagtangan siya,” he said.

He added that the suspects they are monitoring now are not only robbers but also drug users.

The police are now laying down preventive measures against burglary in every barangay of the town.

“On the process among meeting both barangay tanods and barangay officials,” Arriesgado said adding that robbery and burglary cases are expected to rise this time of year.     - (THE FREEMAN)