Not first time for Jollibee burglar

CEBU, Philippines - One of the burglars who took P167,000 cash from a fastfood outlet in a mall in the North Reclamation Area confessed that this was not the first time they burglarized the same establishment.

Jetson Sueles, 31, said that he and two accomplices he only identified as “Lapad” and “Balot” hit the Jollibee branch in a mall in Barangay Apas last March 12.

They were able to steal P102,590 from the vault and successfully escaped.

Sueles revealed this information during a tactical interrogation.

Last Sunday morning, Sueles and a 17-year-old accomplice failed to escape after robbing the Jollibee branch in the North Reclamation Area mall. One of the outlet’s crew caught them hiding in the ceiling, where they waited for the outlet to open.

They went to the said fastfood outlet last Saturday evening and hid on the exhaust room for air-conditioning units past the notice of the management.

When the outlet was closed at 9 p.m., they went out of hiding area and destroyed the vault. They took the P167,000 inside and hid back in the ceiling where they waited for the store to open the following day.

Unfortunately for them, a crew who first reported for work discovered the burglary and found them.

Sueles said he only knew from his accomplices that they could actually hide in the ceiling.

Robbery charges were filed against the suspects yesterday. They are both residents of Barangay Inayagan, Naga City.

Sueles was treated briefly at the Cebu City Medical Center because of bruises and cuts in his face. He claimed the mall guard who arrested him mauled him. —/BRP (FREEMAN)