A 28-year-old man was arrested shortly after allegedly stealing a cellphone from a boarding house in Barangay T. Padilla, Cebu City on May 10, 2026.
The suspect, identified only by the alias Reno, is unemployed, has a live-in partner, and resides in the same barangay. He has been charged with robbery.
According to the initial investigation by the Parian Police, the 21-year-old victim, alias Jepjep, said he and his partner returned to their boarding house to find the padlock broken and their room open.
The victim stated that the suspect suddenly emerged from the room carrying a shoulder bag containing P1,000 in cash and a cellphone worth P8,000, then fled.
The victim chased the suspect, alerting police officers on duty at a nearby outpost on T. Padilla Street. Patrolmen Joey Angelo Alvarez and Joecyl Cabilla joined the pursuit, leading to the immediate arrest of the suspect.
However, the suspect denied the accusation, claiming that it was his newly acquainted companion who stole the phone, not him. He said he did not expect that companion to be a thief.
He also argued that he ran because he thought there was a curfew.
