Rob suspect also tagged in QC spa heist

MANILA, Philippines - A man arrested in connection with a P6-million robbery at a house in Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City faces another charge for allegedly robbing a spa last year, a police official said yesterday.

Officials of the Athena Spa along Roces Avenue have come forward to identify Richard Basale as the man who allegedly robbed their establishment in August last year, according to Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Senior Superintendent Richard Albano.

QCPD Station 10 commander Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo Jr., in an interview, said the spa is located near the house Basale and his companions allegedly robbed last Jan. 20.

“In both instances, the suspects posed as policemen in staging the heist,” Pedrozo said.

He said that in the spa robbery, among the items taken by the suspects were P10,000, six cell phones, two laptop computers, two iPods, two Internet dongles and a camera.

Pedrozo said additional robbery charges would be filed against Basale.

According to Albano, Basale, alias Tuklaw, was arrested at his house in Barangay Kalawaan, Pasig City Wednesday night.

Albano said Basale and the two other suspects – later identified as Dante Basele and Maximo Ayao – had barged into the townhouse, occupied by the Macadaeg family, when its gate was left open. The three suspects took P6 million worth of cash and valuables.

Basele and Ayao remain at large, Pedrozo said. The Macadaeg family identified Basale from a rogues’ gallery, which contains photos of suspected criminals.