photo: NCRPO
A 23-year old man allegedly targeting foreigners in Metro Manila landed in jail following his arrest when he tried to sell an expensive watch he stole from a Chinese businessman in Quezon City, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said.
NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Anthony A. Aberin said the operation stemmed from the report that the suspect was selling a wristwatch, which authorities verified to be amounting to P3 million.
A background check revealed that the 23-year old suspect fit the description of a man involved in robbery incidents in Metro Manila where foreign nationals had previously fallen victim to calculated schemes involving high-end valuables and electronic gadgets.
A buy-bust was then mapped out which resulted in the arrest of the suspect in La Loma, Quezon City on April 17 and the recovery of a Hublot wristwatch, a scooter and one black iPhone.
“Further examination of the seized items revealed that the recovered luxury wristwatch had been reported stolen from a Chinese businessman during a robbery at a mall in Pasay City,” said Aberin.
The information, he said, was later verified through coordination with Substation 10 of the Pasay City Police Station.
Aberin said coordination is being made to convince previous victims to lodge complaints of robbery against the suspect, adding that extensive investigation is also ongoing to identify cohorts and their areas of operation.
Meanwhile, NCRPO operatives also arrested a 22-year old man wanted for a case of statutory rape in a follow-up operation in Intramuros, Manila.
Aberin said the suspect is in the list of most wanted persons with ₱135,000 bounty.