Thieves strike in Cordillera

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - More robbery cases have been reported in the region.

On Tuesday, the Rural Health Unit in Paracelis in Mountain Province was robbed of its two desktop computer monitors, a digital camera and one laptop.

Police said thieves broke into the records section of the office in Magawod, Bantay, Paracelis around 11 p.m. on June 25, and carted away with the items estimated to be worth P51,000.

The thieves broke the doorknob of the records office where the items were kept, the Cordillera police said.

Also on that same day, in Trinidad, capital of Benguet province, a dental clinic and a cosmetic store were broken into by thieves carting away two laptops worth P40,000 and P60,000 cash and an ATM card.

Dr. Jerome del Rosario, owner of the dental clinic,  reported to the police that robbers cut off the grills of a window at the back of the building to gain entry at his dental clinic and the cosmetic store of a certain Jenny Laweng.

Del Rosario however said the thieves got nothing from his dental clinic.

On the next day, in Baguio City,  three students lost their laptops to thieves when they went to their classes leaving the items in their apartment rooms.

A 17-year-old student said he lost his P21,000-worth laptop while Jordan Barcarse, 18,  also lost his P26,000 worth laptop. Another victim, 19-year-old Brice Kevin Valerio lost his P400 allowance.

Thieves reportedly took advantage when  the victims were  in their classes. The suspects used hard objects or similar tools and forcibly opened  the main door and destroyed the hasps of their rooms.

Also on that same day in Polo Field in Navy Base barangay in Baguio City, 52-year-old Naome Alipio’s house was broken into by thieves using a bolt cutter and carted away a P20,00-worth laptop, P25,000-worth flat screen TV and her wallet containing P1,000. - Artemio A. Dumlao