Police arrest 3 theft suspects with FB’s help

Maid, her two cohorts accused of stealing items from employer’s house in Lahug, Cebu City In another development, a former member of a dance sport team linked to a series of burglaries inside the sports center arrested when he returned to the facility

POLICE arrested a housemaid and her two cohorts for their alleged involvement in a burglary in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City last Wednesday morning.

Chief Insp. Wildemar Tiu, the Cebu City Police Station 2 head, identified the suspects as Princess Yu, 20; Freddie Empiales, 23; and Joenel Carsido, 22.

They allegedly stole a laptop worth P35,000, a tablet worth P5,000, and cash amounting to US$3,000 from Macalani Azarcon’s residence in Terryville 2.

Bribery allegation

Police also arrested the subdivision’s security guard Arnido Catarata for allegedly lying to the investigator that only Yu was inside the house at the time of the incident.

Catarata, who is not licensed, allegedly tried to settle the case by trying to bribe Tiu.

Tiu said they were able to contact someone who knows Yu, who is four months pregnant, through the social networking site Facebook.

He said they convinced the person to help them and the latter obliged by inviting the suspects to dinner inside a fast-food joint in Barangay Poblacion, Minglanilla.

It was there that Tiu’s team arrested the suspects, who denied the allegations.

Yu said she let her boyfriend Empiales and his friend Carsido inside the house for a snack.

Caught on camera

In another development, a former member of a dance sport team was arrested inside the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC).

Mark Joseph Fernandez was allegedly involved in a series of burglaries inside the facility.

Tiu said Fernandez was caught on the CCSC’s closed-circuit television camera taking the backpack of Ralyn Villarente.

The bag contained keys, diaper, wet wipes, shirt, and P600 in cash.

Fernandez was also suspected of stealing two cellular phones worth P63,000 and P5,300 cash from Tomas Moran inside the CCSC last Jan. 28.

All four suspects will be charged with theft before the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor.