Authorities are now hunting down two men, including a suspect who tried to show respect by “blessing” the hands of a senior citizen victim after being caught attempting to steal cash from the same sari-sari store where he had previously stolen a mobile phone in Barangay Daang Bakal, Mandaluyong City.

In closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage posted online by a user identified as Jhoanna Tutanes, the suspect was first seen passing by the store, which had its door open, seemingly observing, while the 71-year-old owner was asleep on the sofa at around 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15. Another man was seen following him shortly after.

Moments later, the suspect returned and looked inside the store. After making sure no one was watching, he quickly entered, took the victim’s mobile phone, and immediately left.

The two men returned and looked inside the store before going in again. As the suspect reached for a cash box above the sleeping victim, a resident happened to pass by, singing while walking through the alley where the store is located. The suspect quickly put the cash box back and hid at the victim’s feet to avoid being seen.

Just as the resident passed, the sleeping victim suddenly woke up, with the suspect in front of her and even attempting to perform a “bless” on her hand as she rose from the sofa. The victim did not accept it, so the suspect immediately left the store, while his accomplice waited outside.

According to officials of Barangay Daang Bakal, a follow-up operation was conducted immediately after the incident, which helped identify the suspects.

They discovered that the suspect who entered the store had previously been imprisoned and had also victimized people in other barangays.