QC authorities stalk sari-sari store thief

Authorities started a manhunt operation against a burglar who slipped inside a compound and stole more than P10,000 from a sari-sari store in Barangay Commowealth, Quezon City last week.

The owner of the store was sleeping alone on the floor when the male suspect rushed into the compound.

Barangay Commonwealth's desk-on-duty-officer, Cesar Morales, who provided the CCTV footage which he obtained from the victim himself, said that the suspect in the video was a frequent customer of the store.

"Sabi nila nakikita raw nila yan na pabalik-balik diyan sa lugar. Pasilip-silip siya," Morales said

He added that the suspect is probably not a resident of Barangay Commonwealth but from an adjacent barangay.

GMA News was able to obtain the CCTV footage in which the unidentified male suspect can be seen successfully taking the cash and a cellphone from inside the store.

A video clip shows the suspect wearing a white shirt, slowly extending his hands to get the money placed in a urinal bowl.

After the failed attempt, the suspect grabbed a wooden stick, mounted chewing gum on one end, and began extending his arm to reach the urinal bowl.

After several attempts, the suspect successfully retrieved a paper bill amounting to P1,000.

Another video clip shows the suspect, who this time had two wooden sticks with him, retrieving all the remaining paper bills, amounting to P9,000, from the bowl.

Aside from the P10,000 cash, the still unidentified suspect also took an expensive cellphone amounting to P20,000 and fled on foot.

Julius dela Cruz, executive officer of Barangay Commonwealth, said that the owner of the sari-sari store learned that he got robbed a few hours later.

"Makikita mo naman yung tao na sanay na sanay na. Mga Ilang araw niya ring minantyagan yang mga yan. Nakita niya na may makukuha siyang mahahahalagang mga bagay roon sa tindahan," Dela Cruz said. — DVM/KG, GMA News