Shopper loses over P300T to swindlers

Valuable items and cash worth more than P300,000 had been ripped off by a group of swindlers after duping a 35-year-old shopper in a mall last Monday afternoon.

Evelyn Quilope, a resident of barangay Yati, Lilo-an town, went to the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office and reported that three females and two males duped her and took her two 3G mobile phone units worth P30,000; pieces of jewelry worth P248,000 and P68,000 cash.

Police probe revealed that the victim was busy window-shopping in the mall when suddenly a woman from 35 to 40 years old, medium built, with short hair, has fair complexion, and 5'2" tall approached and befriended her.

Few minutes later, another woman invited the victim for lunch at a restaurant inside the mall. The second woman was believed 30 to 35 years old, slim built, has white complexion, sporting on a shoulder-length hair, and stands 5'3".

Thereafter, the first woman asked for help on where she could buy chemicals for her fishpond.

Then a man, 40 to 48 years old, chubby, with white complexion and who stands 5'4" pretended to offer help to the victim and explained that he knows of an agent working for a firm on chemicals. He offered 15 percent commission to the victim.

Quilope together with the three persons went out of the mall and walked towards the man's parked car.

The victim was introduced to somebody referred to as the "marketing manager" of the chemical company together with the man's "female secretary."

Quilope and the five persons negotiated and agreed that the victim should give her valuables in exchange for P500,000 cash commission and that valuables will be returned after the transaction.

The five left the victim, but hours later they failed to meet the victim in the agreed venue.

The TRS is conducting a thorough investigation to identify the swindlers and warned the public not to bestow trust to strangers. - Princess Mondejar, CNU intern/MEEV