5 nabbed for pilfering P4-M groceries

MANILA, Philippines - Five persons were arrested Saturday for pilfering nearly P4 million worth of groceries since November 2012.

Drivers Renato Vertulfo and Julhanni Muhammad; helper Albert Reforma; merchandiser Warly Lozañez and their fence, Charly Galgo, were charged with qualified theft yesterday.

Senior Police Officer 1 Jupiter Tajonera said the suspects were apprehended based on a complaint of Ma. Rosario Tumacder, president of Acro Team, which runs a merchandising warehouse in Muntinlupa City.

Tumacder said the firm lost roughly P4 million since the suspects allegedly started their operation in November last year.

The five admitted to the pilferage but none confessed to being the mastermind, Tajonera said.

He said Vertulfo, Muhammad and Reforma were assigned to get products from a multinational manufacturing firm in Paco and distribute it to different supermarkets.

They would steal some of the items while Lozañez, who works at a supermarket in Pasig, would declare the receipts and the goods in order. The group would then go to Paco and sell it to Galgo, Tajonera said.