Bliss Site bystanders maul, nab fleeing thief

Bystanders beat up and arrested a 28-year-old man on his way to escape after allegedly stealing the personal belongings and money from the room of a woman's house on Lily Street at sitio Bliss Site in barangay Labangon Friday afternoon.

The suspect, who is now in police custody, was identified as Nislito Delcorro, 28, a native of Tudela, Camotes Island but temporarily residing at barangay Pook, Talisay City.

SPO3 Gualberto Oghoc of the Punta Prinsesa police station told The FREEMAN that the victim, Vanessa Arieta, first caught Delcorro inside her room and stealing her things and money prompting her to confront him.

Delcorro however hit Arieta's head with a bottle of perfume several times causing her to fall. The suspect quickly tied her arms on her back with a bed sheet to contain her.

The victim's 25-year-old nephew Melmark Manugas, who was going upstairs, saw Delcorro on his way out of the room. Manugas chased and caught Delcorro before the latter could go out of the gate.

Manugas called on the neighbors for help and bystanders came and beat up Delcorro, who was later turned over to the Punta Police.

Arieta, for her part, was taken to the hospital for her injuries, while the stolen items and her P1,650 cash were recovered from the suspect.

The suspect claimed he was forced to steal because his mother was confined in a hospital and he had no money to buy medicine.

The police however did not believe him because they have information from the Tudela-Camotes Police that he has a pending case there, also for stealing a few months ago.

Besides, PO1 Winston Magdadaro, of the Punta Police station, earlier told reporters that before the Arieta incident, a boy-about 10 years old-knocked on the gate of Arieta's house begging for money and clothes.

Arieta went out but while she was busy talking with the boy, the suspect surreptitiously went over the barbed fence at the back of her house and went into her room, where Arieta later caught him stealing her belongings. - Edwin Ian Melecio/RAE