Woman jailed for stealing Korean tourist's wallet

CEBU, Philippines - A woman was jailed after stealing the wallet of a Korean inside a KTV bar along Archbishop Reyes Ave., Cebu City, yesterday dawn.

The victim, Kim Min Woo, 31, of Seoul, South Korea, met the suspect, Mary Joy Libres, 19, of Barangay Cogon-Pardo, Cebu City, inside a bar at around 2 p.m.

Libres reportedly befriended the victim and offered to continue having drinks with the foreigner.

The victim later invited Libres to a restaurant and later to another bar where they continued to drink.

As the victim was already intoxicated, Libres stole the victim’s wallet from his pants.

Kim still managed to notice that his wallet that contained P27,000 was already gone from his pocket.

He immediately suspected Libres to have stolen his wallet but when he asked her Libres just casually denied it.

Kim placed Libres under citizen’s arrest and brought her to the Cebu City Police Office Theft and Robbery Section.

After the police questioned her, Libres admitted to stealing the victim’s wallet in the KTV bar and passing it to an accomplice who later gave it to her live-in partner.

Libres said she badly needed the money.

She, however, phoned her live-in partner in Cogon-Pardo and asked him to return the stolen wallet and the money.

Only P24,000 was returned to Kim who decided to forgive the suspect.

TRS investigator PO1 Ramil Duyag said that Libres’ modus is really to victimize foreigners.

He said it was unfortunate that the victim decided not to file charges against the suspect, adding that Libres will likely go back to committing crime in no time.

“Her detention should serve as a warning,” Duyag said. 

Libres is currently detained at the CCPO stockade for the prescribed period of detention, she will be released on Monday. 

The police reminded foreigners to be more cautious in befriending complete strangers who can easily fool them for money. — (FREEMAN)