Couple arrested for P8.5 million jewelry heist

MANILA, Philippines — An employee of a jewelry shop in Sta. Cruz, Manila and her partner were arrested on Saturday for allegedly stealing P8.5 million worth of jewelry in a staged robbery.

Cheril Candidato and Jeffrel Logronio were apprehended at the home of a friend in Naic, Cavite on Saturday night, hours after the robbery, according to Manila Police District (MPD) Station 11 chief Col. Rexon Layug.

Closed-circuit television footage released by the MPD showed that a man later identified as Logronio, wearing a motorcycle helmet and a long-sleeved shirt, purchased jewelry at the shop before pointing a gun at Candidato at around 9:02 a.m.

Candidato, the manager on duty at the time of the incident, was seen gathering the pieces of jewelry on display and giving them to Logronio, who also took Candidato’s cell phone.

Probers noted that Candidato notified police only at around 10 a.m.

MPD public information office Maj. Philipp Ines said the stolen jewelry, which weighed around 3.5 kilos, had been recovered at the house in Naic and turned over to the MPD’s criminal investigation and detection unit.

Ines told The STAR that Candidato is suspected of being Logronio’s accomplice.

The two suspects were charged with qualified theft, Ines said.
The jewelry store owner alleged that P2 million worth of jewelry are still missing, GMA News reported.

Layug, however, said the suspects claimed they stole only P8.5 million worth of jewelry.