Janitor nabbed for Quezon City condo robberies

He really must have cleaned up the place.

A janitor was arrested in Quezon City Wednesday on complaints that he had stolen over P12 million in cash and valuables from at least four condominium units since October.

Ariel Buenavista, 34, a member of the housekeeping staff at Manors Celebrity Place Condominium Complex in Old Balara, Quezon City, faces charges over a string of burglaries in the compound, which hosts several residential buildings.

Chief Inspector Rodelio Marcelo, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, said that after the latest robbery that took place on Monday afternoon, a witness claimed seeing Buenavista rushing to leave the complex carrying a black jewelry box before boarding a taxicab.

Buenavista then called in sick and did not report for work on Tuesday, the officer added. Investigators then looked for him at the address that he gave his company but found out that it was fictitious.

The jewelry box was apparently taken from the condo unit owned by one Marissa Gasmen, Marcelo said.

Marcelo surmised that the suspect had picked the door lock of the condo unit, first by boring a tiny hole right above the knob and using an instrument to unlock it from inside.

He said the same method was used to break into the homes of three previous robbery victims in the same complex.

Buenavista was finally arrested on Wednesday, when he showed up for work. Detained at Camp Karingal, he denied the allegations and was advised to get a lawyer, the officer said.

Marcelo recalled that last year, another unit owner, Robert Gruta, reported losing about P12 million worth of jewelry to burglars on October 16. Seven maintenance crewmen, including Buenavista, were questioned but no charges were filed for lack of evidence.

“But we already became suspicious of him based on that interview. We asked for the seven janitors to undergo a polygraph test but all of them declined. They said it was upon the advice of their lawyer,” Marcelo said.

Marcelo said that apart from Gasmen and Gruta, two other residents said they were also robbed: Hermogenes Bingayen Jr., who lost P173,000 worth of jewelry and valuables on November 30 last year; and one Attorney Habla, who lost around P200,000 in January this year.

Senior Police Officer 4 Allan de la Cruz, head of the antitheft section, said Gruta, Bingayen and Habla lived in the same buildings where the suspect was previously assigned.