An 18-year-old man was arrested by police allegedly after he stole four mobile phones from a mother who owns a store in Ermita, Manila early Tuesday morning, Sept. 12.
The Manila Police District-Ermita Police Station (MPD-PS-5) identified the suspect as Daniel Celso Pumaren, a resident of Sta. Ana, Manila.
According to Mean Binaton, 37, she was arranging the products in her store on the sidewalk at the corner of United Nation Avenue and Mabini Street in Barangay 666, Ermita around 2:45 a.m. when the suspect suddenly appeared and stole her sling bag.
The victim managed to ask for help from the patrolling policemen who chased and arrested Pumaren.
The bag that was taken by the suspect contained four mobile phones worth P32,000, and P4,700 in cash.
All of the items were not recovered from the suspect when he was arrested, police said.
"Pinaghirapan ko 'yung pera ko eh. Lahat 'yun pinagpaguran naming mag-asawa. Naubos lahat, parang nabalewala lang lahat (I worked hard for that money, along with my husband. Everything was gone, it was as if we worked hard for nothing)," she said while crying.
She added that one of the stolen mobile phones was new and it was supposed to be given to her daughter as a surprise gift.
The suspect is now under police custody and was charged with theft.