Shoplifters arrested after siphoning grocery store

Ronnie C. Roa | October 23, 2022

Three (3) suspects were nabbed after shoplifting assorted groceries amounting to P45, 000.00 in a grocery store in Catbalogan City last October 11.

The suspects were identified as Roger Torebio y Dacuma, 47, with live-in partner, and working as a driver; Michelle Llevado y Lacaba, 33, with live-in partner, jobless; and Marites Beringuel y Centro, 42, married, and jobless. All three are residents of Brgy. 65 Paseo De Legaspi, Tacloban City.

Initial investigation disclosed that the suspects took various grocery items from Lester Lace Grocery Store located at Brgy. 6, Catbalogan City. The shoplifting operation lasted for three (3) hours.

Based on CCTV footage, the female suspects took items from the display shelves and hid it under their dresses concealing a girdle. They then went out of the store and “unload” their haul on their standby vehicle parked along the road. The suspects dismount from their vehicle thin, entered the store, and then exited looking pregnant. This went on for 3 hours.

However, some vendors who were selling flowers just outside the store observed the suspicious movements of the suspects. They were apprehensive when the suspects turned bloated when exiting the store, entered their vehicle, and when dismounting from the vehicle, they looked thin. They approached and tipped the store personnel, who in turn, flagged the suspects who were once again trying to leave the store.

The suspects were then frisked and yielded lots of grocery items. Multiple sachets of powdered juice, bottles of shampoo, lotion and perfumes, and other stuff were recovered. Store personnel and police authorities were also able to recover items inside the silver-gray Toyota Innova bearing plate number ABA-6339 that served as the suspect’s vehicle. The recovered grocery items totaled around P45, 000.00.

Digging deeper into the CCTV footage, another female cohort was seen helping the suspects but managed to escape unscathed. The females were the ones doing the shoplifting while the male suspect blocked the alley to conceal their activities.

There was also an explosive recovered during the search. The Samar Provincial Explosive Ordnance and K9 unit successfully contained the said explosive.

Criminal charges were already being lodged at the Office of the City Prosecutor.