7 suspected pickpockets, shoplifters arrested

Seven suspected shoplifters and alleged members of so-called “salisi gang” were arrested by the police after they robbed a shopper and stole items inside a shopping mall in Quezon City.

Police Lt. Col. Cipriano Galanida, chief of Quezon City Police Station 9 (PS-9), identified the arrested suspects as Jomar Angos, 32, a resident of Marilao, Bulacan, and Jeffrey Eligan, 34, Rizza Gomez, 23, Judy Bagas, 18, Mary Bagas, 30, Pauline Garcia, 45, and Mark Castro, 31, all from Manila.

According to Galanida, the group was behind several shoplifting and robbery incidents at the UP Town Center in Barangay Pansol, Quezon City.

A report from PS-9 showed that the latest victim, Lorna Cunanan, 34, was busy playing in an arcade inside the mall when suspect Mary Bagas discreetly stood behind her.

Bagas’ three other cohorts distracted Cunanan who was busy playing while she took the victim’s phone placed inside her shoulder bag.

Minutes later, Cunanan noticed that her bag was already open and her phone was missing prompting her to report the incident to the mall management.

Upon reviewing the footage from a closed-circuit television installed inside the arcade, authorities saw the actual incident and saw the faces of the suspects.

They also found out that the group had companions who served as lookout.

Mall guards immediately sought the help of PS-9 personnel and pursued the suspects who were seen heading to the parking area.

However, the suspects were seen already onboard a white Toyota Hi-Ace van moving towards the exit gate prompting them to halt the vehicle and nabbed the suspects.

During the arrest, authorities were able to recover inside the van several mobile phones, including Cunanan’s Samsung J2 smartphone, bags, a laptop, pairs of socks, foldable umbrellas, and glass flower vases, among other, which police said were all stolen as they failed to present any proof of purchase of the items.

The group was brought to the police station for proper investigation.

On the same day, another complainant, Katherine Lim also appeared at the station after she was informed by the mall management about the arrest of the suspects.

Lim positively identified the older Bagas as the same person she saw through the CCTV clip who stole her wallet while she was inside the same mall last March 8.

The victim also reported that the suspects used her credit cards to purchase goods from several stores amounting to 1120,000.