Operatives of the Tagbilaran City police theft and robbery section on Sunday night arrested a Davao City-based theft suspect who allegedly stole a large amount of cash from a housewife inside the Alturas Mall.
In a report, police said that victim Joseliza Lausa, 29, noticed that her wallet was lost at around 7 p.m. on Sunday while shopping at the mall’s grocery section.
Lausa immediately told mall management that she lost her wallet which contained P10,500 and important identification cards and documents.
Mall authorities then reviewed a closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) footage and saw the pickpocket who was later on identified as Espirideon Villapana, 46, of Davao City.
The CCTV footage showed that Villapana reached into Lausa’s bag while she was shopping.
According to police, the mall administrator alerted them of the incident and they immediately deployed a unit which was incidentally conducting patrol near the establishment.
The team led by SPO4 Menillo Sevilla spotted the suspect who attempted to escape through J.S. Torralba Street near a Land Bank of the Philippines branch.
Police officers eventually caught up with Villapana and took custody of the suspect.
Villapana is now detained at the Tagbilaran City Police Station while charges are set to be filed against him. (wm)