Barking dog gives away alleged thief

A barking dog gave him away.

A 20-year-old alleged burglar fell short of his robbery try after a pet dog in the house he barged into, barked incessantly waking up its owner Saturday night in Navotas.

Suspect Virgilio Santiago, an ex-convict and a member of the Sputnik Gang, was nearly lynched by an angry mob if not for the timely arrival of the police, Northern Police District (NPD) intelligence unit head Chief Inspector Sotero Ramos Jr. said. Ramos said that at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday, trader Nora Francisco of Lot 1, Block 22, Phase 2, Area 1, Kaunlaran Village, NBBS, Navotas, was awaken by her dog’s continuous barking on the ground floor of her three-story house. Francisco went down to check and reportedly caught Santiago in the act, fleeing with her gas range and other valuables.

Francisco shouted for help to her neighbors who chased and immediately cornered the suspect. The mob reportedly mauled Santiago but the timely arrival of SPO2 Roberto Molenyawe and PO2 Renato Ameng of the NPD-District Police Intelligence Unit saved the suspect.

The suspect is now locked up at the NPD-DPIU detention cell. Charges are being readied against him. – Pete Laude