Man, son charged for stealing P5-M items in vault

MANILA, Philippines - A man and his son were charged with robbery yesterday for reportedly breaking into an unoccupied house in Sampaloc, Manila and stealing a vault that contained land titles, assorted jewelry and old coins worth a total of P5 million.

Roberto Relos Sr. and his son, Roberto Jr., were arrested in their house in Galas, Quezon City with at least a quarter of the vault’s contents, Chief Inspector Danilo Buyao said.

The house’s owner, Cora Macaraig, filed a complaint after she found that the vault was stolen when she visited the house on April 18, Buyao said.

Tricycle driver Andy Acosta told police he saw the Reloses and a man leaving Macaraig’s house with the vault on April 14 and loading it on a motorcycle. The accomplice has yet to be identified, Buyao said.