Police identified the suspects as Wowie Uy, 30, of Valladolid, Negros Occidental; and Melvin Cosio, 34, and Rose Linao, 31, both residents of Silay City.
Police Corporal Rogyn Bandola, case investigator of the Kabankalan City Police Station, said that Vice Mayor Miguel Zayco was at the public plaza celebrating the city’s 25th Charter Day when he noticed that his cellular phones inside his black bag were already missing.
Bandola said the vice mayor then reported the incident to the police and located the suspects through the GPS.
Police conducted a pursuit operation leading to the arrest of the suspects whose motorcycle was flagged down in Sitio Naga, Barangay Suay, Himamaylan City.
Bandola said it took them about 40 minutes to apprehend the suspects who failed to present their license and identification to the authorities.
Police were able to recover the stolen cellphones worth P130,000 from them. The three suspects face theft charges.