Shoplifting spree comes to an end

Two women members of a syndicate that has been shoplifting items worth P30,000 from groceries daily were apprehended by members of the Parañaque police yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Ronald Estilles, chief of police of Parañaque City, said the suspects were apprehended shortly after noon along Sucat Road.

A patrolling police vehicle spotted a suspicious Mitsubishi Adventure van with four persons inside. Two male passengers immediately jumped out of the vehicle and escaped, leaving behind two female passengers, who were easily apprehended.

The two women were identified as Jamaica Ledesma, 28, a native of Bacolod City, a resident of Tandang Sora, Quezon City and Jenny Reyes, 21, a native of Iloilo and a resident of Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City.

A total 30 cans of milk were recovered inside the vehicle. The items were stolen from four groceries including a Mercury Drug Store in Parañaque City.

Estilles said the suspects engaged in a entire day of shoplifting at small groceries all over Metro Manila. He said that P30,000 was only a modest average of the value of canned milk stolen by the group in a day.

The identities of the two other suspects as well as the owner of the vehicle are still being verified by the police. – Rainier Allan Ronda