6 suspected pickpockets nabbed in Pasay mall

MANILA, Philippines - Police rounded up Thursday six alleged pickpockets at a Pasay City mall for reportedly targeting nursing students.

Metro police chief Director Roberto Rosales called on the victims to file their complaints before the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) against suspects Edwin Fernandez, 39; Rowena Gutierrez, 30; Mercedita Navarro, 29; Dennis Magdirila, 20; Danny Joe Lara, 18, and Leandro Villar, 44.

“We have been receiving a big number of complaints against the pickpocket operations victimizing students of the Manila Doctors Hospital so we acted with dispatch and the six suspects were arrested,” said Rosales.

Rosales said the suspects were rounded up at about 6 p.m. Thursday in front of the Metro Point Mall near the Metro Rail Transit station at the corner of EDSA and Taft Avenue.

Nursing students Wesley Lao, 20, and Yasser Montawil, 19, identified Fernandez, Gutierrez and Navarro as among those who took their wallets and personal belongings.

Rosales directed Superintendent Leo Francisco, head of the NCRPO’s regional police intelligence and operations unit (RPIOU) to conduct anti-crime drives to prevent pickpockets from victimizing nursing students passing through the area on their way home.

Francisco is preparing robbery charges against the suspects before the Pasay City prosecutor’s office.

The suspects are now detained at the RPIOU detention cell in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City. – Non Alquitran