American diplomat loses P.3 million to burglars

MANILA, Philippines - Metro police director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales ordered yesterday an investigation into a P350,000 burglary at the house of an American diplomat in Makati City last May 16.

Rosales directed Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Superintendent Jaime Calungsud to leave no stone unturned in solving the robbery at the residence of Jerome Weddle. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs website, Weddle holds the rank of second secretary-vice consul.

Rosales ordered Calungsud to coordinate and secure a copy of the surveillance camera of the posh San Lorenzo Village to help them identify and arrest the suspects.

A report submitted by the Makati City police dated May 25 stated that Weddle’s wife and four children left their house at 8:30 a.m. last May 16 and proceeded to the US embassy in Manila.

When they returned to their house at 2:30 p.m., they noticed that their front door was ajar. They found the back door forced open and their rooms ransacked.

When the Weddle family conducted an inventory, they said they found they were missing various pieces of jewelry and watches, a digital camera, three iPods, and Nike Sport earphones.

The Makati City police report showed that the total amount lost to the robbers was placed at $6,880 or roughly P350,000.

In his report to Rosales, Calungsud said the SPD Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) have lifted fingerprints at the crime scene.

A witness, the SPD director said, is helping a police artist prepare sketches of the suspects.