GPS tracker leads cops to 2 burglars who robbed house in Mandaluyong City

The global positioning system (GPS) of a stolen mobile phone led police to a hotel in Pasay City, where two robbers who broke into a house in Mandaluyong City were holed up.

According to EJ Gomez’s exclusive report in “24 Oras” on Thursday, the suspects robbed a house in Barangay Malamig, Mandaluyong City at around Wednesday midnight.

Investigation showed the suspects entered the house while the victims were sleeping on the second floor.

“The two men wearing helmets broke into the victims’ residence and managed to take two mobile phones, one laptop, and a wallet containing the victim’s various cards. The total estimated value of the stolen items amounts to P140,000,” said Police Colonel Reynan Patam of Mandaluyong City Police.

The victims immediately reported the incident to barangay authorities.

During a follow-up operation, police used the GPS of one of the stolen mobile phones and traced its location to a hotel in Pasay City.

This was later confirmed upon reviewing the hotel’s CCTV footage and through statements provided by several staff members to the police.

“When our persons of interest checked out, our officers approached them to question them regarding the belongings they had with them. Fortunately, the suspects confessed that they were the ones who stole the items,” Patam said.

Authorities recovered the stolen laptop, two mobile phones, and the wallet belonging to the victims.

The 29-year-old suspect refused to face the camera. Meanwhile, the 21-year-old suspect claimed they were just desperate for money and were forced to accept the offer to pull off the heist in exchange for a share of the cash from selling the stolen goods.

The latter also claimed that a cousin of the victims ordered them to do the crime.

“It was just due to poverty, and we were really just ordered to do it,” he said.

The suspects are currently detained at the Mandaluyong City Police custodial facility and will face robbery charges. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA News