Public urged to be vigilant as CCPO expects crimes to increase as Christmas nears

THE Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) expects incidents of theft, snatching and pickpockets, among others, to increase with Christmas approaching.

That is why it is reminding establishments to install surveillance cameras to discourage crime and to assist police in law enforcement.

Lt. Col. Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for administration of the CCPO, reiterated its importance as a deterrent to criminal acts.

He said the CCPO has recommended to the Cebu City Government to make it obligatory to install cameras outside and inside establishments.

Meanwhile, Parilla said they will focus on known local criminals after having arrested members of a swindler syndicate from the National Capital Region.

“I’m not even referring to organized groups like members of salisi gangs, whose modus is to rob victims while they are distractive or inattentive of their belongings. They go after big targets. There are also those involved in budol-budol and ATM scams. They usually come in December. We expect many to be victimized, which is why part of our information dissemination campaign is to urge the public to be always on the lookout,” he said in Cebuano.

He said they will also keep an eye on the spread of counterfeit money, whose victims are usually small businesses that do not have a counterfeit detection device.

He said they are monitoring the movements of a counterfeiter they arrested last year.

The police official urged the public to be wary of pickpockets, especially while inside department stores and malls.