Police, Angkas driver collar 2 pickpockets

Cebu City Police Officer 1 Paul Acosta was on his way home to celebrate his wife’s birthday last Friday afternoon, but he ended up missing it and taking into custody two suspected pickpockets.

Acosta and Angkas driver Marloue Lines helped a university student retrieve her iPhone 6 Plus in Barangay Kasambagan.

“I noticed two of them hovering behind the student so when one of the pickpockets opened her bag, I knew what was happening. The two then tried to escape by boarding a jeepney,” said Acosta in a phone interview with SunStar Cebu.

The policeman drove towards the jeep and asked the driver to stop, but the two, upon seeing him, attempted to flee.

“I was on my motorcycle but it was hard to catch them so I got off and chased them by foot,” he said.

Lines, who was at the back of the jeepney, saw what happened and decided to help Acosta.

“I saw the policeman so I, too, got off my motorcycle because of the traffic and chased after the pickpockets,” he said.

Acosta and Lines caught the two pickpockets and retrieved the phone.

Acosta’s wife posted in her Facebook account that she was proud of her husband even if he wasn’t able to attend her 34th birthday party.

“I was nervous but I knew it was my duty,” Acosta said.

Lines, for his part, said he was happy to be of help. /