2 persons arrested by NBI for selling stolen laptops online
Two persons have been arrested in Rizal province for selling online laptops stolen from a computer store, the National Bureau of Immigration (NBI) said on Sunday, Nov. 26.
The NBI identified the two suspects as Danilo A. Teofilo Jr. and Carlos F. Gonzales who were found to be the persons behind the Facebook page Dan’s Laptops. They were arrested during an entrapment operation conducted by the NBI’s Anti-Fraud Division (NBI-AFD).
At the time of their arrest, Teofilo and Gonzales were caught in possession of 35 laptops belonging to Accent Micro Technologies, Inc. (AMTI), the NBI said.
Teofilo and Gonzales were charged before the Rizal Provincial Prosecutor’s Office with estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) in relation to Republic Act 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
“The operation stemmed from a complaint filed by Accent Micro Technologies, Inc., a company engaged in trading of computers,” the NBI said.
“According to the complaint, a certain Joseph Wee bought one hundred fifty (150) units of laptop amounting to P5,842,500,” it said.
The NBI said the complaint stated that Wee paid the laptops through the bank and presented a deposit slip to an AMTI sales agent. The laptops were picked up by Wee's representative identified as Julie Grace B. Dy last Nov. 13.
“On the next day, the bank informed AMTI that Wee’s account was already a closed account,” it said.
“Realizing that the transaction was fraudulent, AMTI exhausted all avenues to find and recover the laptop units,” it added.
Later, the NBI said that “AMTI’s Credit Manager saw an FB post selling laptops with the same specifications with the laptops purchased by Wee.”
With the information, the NBI’s assistance was sought and AMTI “contacted the cellphone number provided in the FB page and was able to order 35 units from a certain Dan of Dan’s Laptop.” NBI's entrapment operation was conducted.