Metro Briefs: Maid tagged in P1.5M theft nabbed in QC

A housemaid from Las Piñas City landed behind bars in Quezon City on Wednesday night for allegedly stealing P1.5 million worth of cash and valuables from her employer. Rachelle Cabe, 25, was arrested after a tipster recognized her from a TV news report about the June 6 theft in Barangay Pilar, Las Piñas, which tagged her as the suspect. The Quezon City Police District said Cabe was carrying three cell phones, two wristwatches, two bank books, two ATM cards, and several pieces of jewelry, along with an undetermined amount of cash, when apprehended at a fast food restaurant inside a mall on Commonwealth Avenue. Cabe later admitted stealing her employer’s safe and taking it to Batangas province, the QCPD said. —Jhesset O. Enano

Pasig drug suspects play coin toss over ‘shabu’

Two drug suspects who used “shabu” instead of cash to place bets in a coin toss were arrested in Pasig City on Wednesday afternoon. According to Pasig City police chief Senior Supt. Orlando Yebra Jr., Franciso Barrera, 30, and Jonathan Jalimao, 26, of Barangay Rosario and Manggahan respectively, were caught playing cara y cruz on Narra Street, Manggahan. They were arrested based on a resident’s complaint about their gambling activity, in which they played “winner-take-all” games over packets of shabu. Five sachets of the drug were allegedly recovered from the two men. Meanwhile, the Pasig police arrested another drug suspect who caused a disturbance in Mamerto compound, Barangay Rosario. Bonnie Latumbo, 32, also tried to assault PO1 Edwin Mateo Jr., one of the responding officers from Police Community Precinct 6. —Jodee A. Agoncillo