Helper arrested for theft

CEBU - An 18-year-old helper from Negros Oriental was arrested by the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office for allegedly stealing P200,000 worth of valuables from her employer.

Jeralyne Alad-ad, a temporary resident of sitio Sabellano, barangay Quiot, Cebu City, was arrested in her rented room in barangay Lahug by TRS operatives acting on a tip from a source who saw the cartographic sketch of the suspect in a local television newscast.

According to Alad-ad’s latest employer, Brenda Gebala, a clinical instructor and a resident of Bliss, barangay Labangon, she accepted the suspect as a helper last month after she was turned over by her aunt in P. Del Rosario St.

Her aunt owns an eatery and there was no vacancy at the time.

Alad-ad suddenly left without permission earlier this week. It was then that they found out that the jewelry and several other items had been taken from a drawer that had been forced open.

TRS personnel only recovered a few of the jewelry as most of these were already sold and pawned.

The suspect admitted that her employers were kind-hearted but she was just angry at one of their relatives who once slapped her.

TRS chief Michael Bastes said there may be several other complainants who will surface since the suspect is known to victimize her employers.

Bastes also thanked the media for showing the suspect’s cartographic sketch that eventually lead to her arrest.

There have been a number of helpers victimizing their employers by taking away their valuables, and some even killing them for robbery, a reprimand or a misdeed.

A houseboy also from Negros killed his employer couple in Mabolo in the ‘80s and burned down the house after he was not paid his salary for several months. — Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP (THE FREEMAN)