Former employee caught on cam: Gardener arrested for stealing from TV station

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Catholic Television Network (CCTN) Channel 47 were able to recover one hundred thousand worth of editing equipment after their former gardener was caught on camera while in the act of stealing gadgets from his former employer on Tuesday dawn.  

Daniel Tubac, 24, who left CCTN for greener pastures, was caught on tape while stealing video editing materials in one of CCTN’s editing rooms.

Tubac reportedly entered CCTN compound at Barangay Luz, Cebu City at 12:41 a.m. through the station’s kitchen where he is very familiar.

“Mi-agi siya sa murag kusina namo unya mi-adto dayon sa editing room kun asa niya gi-kuha ang mga laptop ug ubang gamit,” Wilnard Banzon, who was Tubac’s complainant, told The FREEMAN.

Banzon said that Tubac even managed to turn off the kitchen’s close-circuit television camera when they reviewed the footage.

Once inside the station’s editing room, Taboc took a laptop worth P27,000; a digital camera worth P14, 000 and other editing equipment with an estimated total of P100, 000. To capture the suspect, the CCTN administration informed the suspect to report back to the station where he was offered work as a driver.

When he reported for duty yesterday morning, the suspect was apprehended by the station’s security guards and later turned over to the Cebu City Police Office Theft and Robbery Section.

Tubac immediately owned up to the crime.

“Ako ra gyud to nabuhat kay nanginahanglan na gyud ko ilabi na kay ang akong asawa kay di pa dugay nanganak (I had to do it for my wife who just gave birth),” Tubac told The FREEMAN.

The police recovered Tabuc’s loot in different houses where he lived in a three-hour recovery operation with Tubac.

“Among nakuha ang mga gikawat sa mga balay sa iyang (suspect) mga amigo diin siya mi-puyo,” PO3 Juvee Tantiado said.

Banzon said that he was shocked when they discovered through the station’s CCTV camera that Tubac stole their equipment. “Wa gyud ko nagtuo kay buotan baya na siya,” he said.

Meanwhile, one of two suspected swindlers are now behind bars after divesting a sales clerk of over P200,000 worth of items after pretending to be buyers at Mobile 1 Kiosk at the upper ground level of Ayala Center Cebu on Tuesday at around 10: 26 a.m. last Tuesday

Mark Lester Vicente Bereña, 24, from Sagat, Paco, Manila was collared by House Detective William Jusoy after the sales clerk, who requested anonymity, sought his help.

The sales clerk said that last Tuesday morning, she was attending to Bereña and a certain Edward who ordered a MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry Playbook and two casings with a total amount of P239,664.00.

The sales clerk told The FREEMAN that prior to the incident, a certain Dennis called her and ordered the said items from their store saying that his assistant and helper will pick up the items he ordered.

The clerk immediately prepared all orders for her client and upon the arrival of Edward and Bereña, who claimed to be Dennis’ assistants, Edward said he needed to bring the items to Dennis who was inside their car in the mall parking area because he reportedly had an injured leg.

She gave the goods and waited for Edward’s return but he did not come back.

“Nagduda na ko kay dugay naman kaayo unya wala pa jud nibalik si Edward,” the sales clerk said.  

She then called sought Jusoy’s help in arresting the suspects who reportedly tried to run away but the sales staff immediately jumped through the glass door to capture the suspects.

 They caught Bereña but Edward was able to elude arrest carrying with him all the items.

Bereña said he had no idea about the modus of his boss.

“Wala po akong alam. Nagpunta lang po ako dito sa Cebu para samahan ang boss ko na magpa-therapy ng paa niya doon po sa Mactan,” Bereña said.

He said they arrived in Cebu last Monday and he has no idea where his boss was. The sales staff said she did not suspect anything unusual at first because they paid well last September 27, “Nag-order to sila, smooth lang ang transaction kay mingbayad man sila dayon, unlike karon na nahitabo ni”.

“Ningsalig ko kay nakapalit naman pud sila sa amo sa una wala may abirya nga ingon ani ang nahitabo. Si Edward gihapon ang nag- kuha sa items kauban ang amahan daw ni Dennis. Nibayad sila gamit ang credit card,” the sales staff said.

Bereña is now detained at the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office pending the filing of formal charges. — (FREEMAN)