Theft suspect, kid nabbed in fastfood outlet heist try

A 31-YEAR-OLD man and his 15-year-old accomplice were nabbed by security guards of SM Cebu City mall after they tried to get away with P167,104 in cash stolen from the vault of a Jollibee outlet at past 10 a.m yesterday.

Gelson Sueles of barangay Tulay, Minglanilla town and his 15-year-old companion  were turned over by the mall security guards to the mall’s security department. They were later turned over to the police.

The cash was recovered by the Theft and Robbery Section (TRS) of the Cebu City Police Office.

Sporting bruises in his mouth, Sueles alleged that mall security guards mauled him after he was caught stealing.

In an interview, Sueles said a man who introduced himself as a mall maintenance worker helped them to get inside the Jollibee outlet even before the mall opened at 10 a.m.

Sueles said he and the 15-year-old boy hung at Quantum, a gaming center inside the mall when they met the man.

He said the unidentified man asked him if he wanted to earn some money.

Since he was unemployed and the boy didn’t have money Sueles said he accepted the offer and the man gave them P200 as lunch money.

They later met the man who gave them a sketch of the store located inside the mall.

Sueles said he was told by the man to get inside the store. The two were guided to an entrance to the air-conditioning housing unit (AHU) beside the Quantum store.

Sueles said the man told him to wait at the AHU the next day and look for him.

When they did, the man told them to pass through the back door of the Jollibee store at the third floor.

Sueles said the man gave them tools like a screw driver, a hook, a glue to destroy the vault inside Jollibee.

At past 10 a.m., Jollibee staffer Reca Rofu discovered that the vault’s padlock was already destroyed and the cash was no longer inside.

SPO3 Henry Estoy of the TRS said mall security guards subdued Sueles and the 15-year-old boy inside the exhaust room of Jollibee shortly after the incident.

The boy said he and Sueles have known each other since last year in Naga City. “I just went with him because I needed money.” the boy said. Estoy said the failed robbery could be an inside job.

Estoy said robbery charges will be filed today against Sueles before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.  The 15-year-old boy will be turned over to social workers.

Estoy said they will ask assessment from the Department of Social Welfare and Development to prove that the boy was aware that he was committing a crime before robbery charges will be filed. Reporter Rhea Ruth V. Rosell