Burglary, theft in Apas, Basak

CEBU, Philippines - A pre-school at the Montebello Compound in Barangay Apas lost some cash and gadgets to an unidentified burglar yesterday.

The amount of cash remains to be ascertained, but cellular phones, three cassette players, a digital camera and a piggy bank filled with coins were found missing.

PO2 Rommel Varona of the Theft and Robbery Section said there were no signs that the Discovery Camp pre-school was forcibly entered. They learned, however, that the main door can be easily opened using any key.

Varona said they have placed the school’s caretaker, Victor Resurrecion, under questioning. It is Resurrecion who opens and closes the school and it was also him who discovered the items were missing yesterday morning. 

The Discovery Camp is owned by Ma. Angeles Nable, 49.

Also yesterday, a young man was arrested after he stole the coin slot of an Automatic Tubig Machine (ATM), a prepaid water refilling station, in Barangay Basak owned by one Joselito Orozco, 42. The suspect was identified as Rommel Alvialde, 23, a neighbor of Orozco.  

Orozco said he discovered the coin slot missing at 6am. The slot reportedly costs P1,500.

His wife said he saw Alvialde repeatedly passing by their house around 2am and later saw him pretending to clean the drainage in front of their house.

Based on this information, police went to Alvialde’s house at 1pm purposely to question him, but the suspect reportedly immediately admitted stealing the coin slot and surrendered the item voluntarily. (FREEMAN)