Man, selling stolen camera lenses online, nabbed in entrapment operation

(CDN Photo/Benjie Talisic)

A 26-year-old man was arrested for selling two stolen Nikon camera lenses and a battery, during an entrapment operation in a mall at the North Reclamation Area on Tuesday.

Giovane Alfafara Phala of Barangay Jagobiao, Mandaue City was arrested by members of the Regional Special Operations Group in Central Visayas (RSOG-7) after he handed over inside the mall the camera lenses to a buyer, who was actually the owner of the stolen items, said Senior Insp. Wendell Abellana of RSOG-7.

The regional police officers set up the entrapment operation after Lemuel Montejo, 33, of Mandaue City went to their office to seek their help in retrieving the lenses, which was stolen during the Sinulog festivities on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 20).

Montejo told Abellana that after his Nikkon lenses, worth P45,000, were stolen, he searched through social media sites hoping to find them.
He said he got lucky and found it posted for sale in one of the social media sites.

He then sought the police help, fearing that the stolen items might be sold to another person.

Montejo then set up the meet to buy the camera lenses, which was sold to him for P20,000.

At the mall, after the transaction was consummated, Abellana and the other police officers moved in and arrested Phala.

Recovered from Phala were the stolen items — the two Nikkon camera lenses and a battery.

Abellana said since Montejo could not positively identify him as one of those who stole the camera lenses during the Sinulog festivities, Phala would not be charged with theft, but he would be facing a violation of the anti-fencing law case.

Phala was detained at the Fuente Police Precinct pending the filing of charges.