Cubao mall store hit by con artists

A branch of a home supply chain lost P13,000 to con artists who claimed to be related to Mayor Herbert Bautista on Friday afternoon in a mall in Cubao, Quezon City.

This was after the store personnel gave P13,000 as change to the two pretenders without receiving the supposed payment first for a chandelier allegedly ordered by the city mayor’s sister.

Bryan dela Torre, 30, assistant store manager of Wilcon Home Essentials in Ali Mall, told police a woman, who claimed to be a sister of the mayor, and a man, who claimed to be a lawyer and the woman’s son, were behind the crime.

Investigation showed that the woman called the shop and ordered a chandelier worth P9,999. She asked that the chandelier be delivered to a jewelry shop at the Gateway Mall, also in Cubao.

Aside from this, she also asked that the store prepare P13,000 in P500 bills as change for her payment.

Dela Torre made the delivery accompanied by two store personnel in front of a fastfood restaurant. They were met by a man wearing a barong who introduced himself as a lawyer and the woman’s son.

After confirming that the chandelier was in Dela Torre’s possession, the man called up a certain Gladys whom he ordered to pay P23,000 as payment.

The man then signed the receipt and said he will bring the “change” of P13,000 to a parish, then quickly left on the pretense he had double-parked his car.

Dela Torre and his men then went to the jewelry shop to deliver the item but discovered that the shop did not place an order for the chandelier and that they did not know the suspects involved.