Robber moonlights as pedicab driver to spot victims

A man who recently served time for robbery was arrested yesterday for a series of jeepney robberies in Tondo, Manila.

Christopher Forte, 31, a pedicab driver, of 331 Ibarra st., Tondo, was identified by three jeepney passengers he allegedly held up along Ilaya street, according to Moriones police station chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino. “Records verification also showed that Forte was only released from jail last month for robbery cases,” Espino said.

Forte reportedly used his job as a pedicab driver to look for potential victims as they board jeepneys. When he sees a likely prey, he would board the jeepney and rob the victim using a barbecue stick, Espino said.

Espino said the suspect is also familiar with the policemen in Tondo and would stick to his guise as a pedicab driver when the lawmen are around.

Due to numerous complaints, Espino posted a new batch of undercover policemen along Ilaya street. The policemen caught Forte in the act of robbing a jeepney passenger.

The lawmen recovered from the suspect cellular phones, earrings, cash and personal belongings of his victims.

Espino urged crime victims to report to police so their complaints can be immediately acted upon. “We do not have enough policemen to secure every person, but I assure our residents that the police are always ready to act on their complaints,” he said.

At the same time, Espino launched an anti-crime scheme dubbed “Sakay Ko, Sagot Ko” in which every driver shall be issued an identification card that should be posted inside his pedicab. The program was hatched following reports that most robberies in Tondo were perpetrated by the pedicab drivers themselves.

“In this way, passengers will know the identity of the driver, which will prove useful in manhunt operations,” Espino said.