Two helpers nabbed for theft

Two female house helpers, one of them a minor, were arrested for allegedly stealing 1.3 million yen from their Japanese employer at Winland Tower in barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City last Wednesday night.

Police said over P500,000 cash was recovered from Carmelita Flores, 53, and her 17-year-old fellow helper.

The theft was discovered by the workers’ employer, Katsuhiko Shigeuchi, 37, said Insp. William Alicaba, chief of the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

Police investigation showed that last Wednesday evening, the 17-year-old helper, a native of Sagasa, Bien Unido, Bohol, asked her employer to allow her to go home since she had decided to continue with her studies.

Shigeuchi told the helper not to leave until Flores returns.

The other helper earlier asked permission that she would go home for a while in barangay Mabolo.

Police said the 17-year-old helper insisted of going home.

Shigeuchi allowed the girl to go home and checked her bag before allowing her to leave.

Upon checking, the Japanese found 10,000 yen in her bag.

The employer went to his room and discovered that his money which he kept in a traveling bag was missing.

Shigeuchi confronted the girl, who later admitted that it was Flores who gave her the money.

The 17-year-old girl claimed that she earlier caught Flores stealing money from their employer’s room.

Shigeuchi and his wife Mary Jane called the police.

Police went to Flores’ house and arrested her.

Recovered during the arrest were P550,000 in Japanese currency.

In an interview, Flores owned up the crime.

“Natintal ra g’yud ko. Arang daghanang kwarta gud (I was tempted because of the big amount of money),” said Flores, a mother of six.

The two were detained at the CCPO pending the filing of qualified theft charges against them, police said.