Robbers attack 2 homes on Christmas Eve in Cebu
A house of a retired public school teacher in Barangay Kawit, Medellin town, northern Cebu lost P200,000 worth of cash and jewelry to a robber on Christmas Eve.
The suspect got the chance to barged into the house of Manolo Tumulak, 71, after he and his wife were in Cebu City, 120 kilometers away from home, to spend the Christmas. It was the house caretaker, Elizabeth Tumulak, who discovered the incident the following day.
According to Police Officer 1 Marlon Montesclaros of Medellin police, the suspect gained entry into the house by removing the frame of the air-conditioning unit at the back of one of the rooms.
The suspect carted away cash worth P150,000, $15, and assorted jewelry valued at P20,000.
Montesclaros said there was a big possibility that the suspect was living near the area since the robbery was carried out at a time the couple was not around.
He added that the house was equipped with closed-circuit television cameras but they were not functioning during incident because of a brownout.
“Gibantayan na gyud to niya. Timing nga nag-brownout,” said Montesclaros.
Medellin police are still conducting a followup investigation for the possible identification and arrest of the suspect.
Meanwhile, an overseas Filipino worker lost P150,000 in cash and other items when a robber also preyed on her house while she was away attending a Mass still on Christmas Eve.
Carmenchu Pinili, 41, a resident of Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City told the police that she left her house padlocked to attend the Holy Mass early night on December 24.
According to the team led by Senior Police Officer 1 Milven Jimenez that responded to the area, the unidentified thief destroyed the lock of the main door and entered the house easily.
Some of the items taken were registered firearms worth P114,000, jewelry worth P30,000, and cash amounting to P15,000.
The Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office is currently doing a followup investigation to trace the suspect.