Man, caught in CCTV stealing phone in water refilling station, nabbed

Rey Fernan Bandel of Barangay Labangon, Cebu City is behind bars after he was arrested for stealing a cellphone inside a water refilling station earlier in the day. | Pegeen Maisie Sararaña

CEBU CITY, Philippines — He just wanted a phone for his personal use, that is why, he barged into an unlocked water refilling station in Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City, and took the cellphone of one of the two sleeping stay-in employees on Monday dawn, September 11, 2022. 

A few hours after, police were able to locate him through the help of the community and arrested Rey Fernan Bandel, 36, in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City past 5 p.m. on Monday. 

In an interview with CDN Digital, Bandel admitted that he was the one captured in a security camera making noise online. 

“Nanginahanglan kog cellphone para magamit gamit nako unya mao to ako gikuha kay nakita man nako nga abli. Namasin ra ko, kay abli man,” Bandel said. 

(I needed a cellphone that I can use, and that is why I took it because I saw that it [the water refilling station slide door ] was open. I just took my chance because it was open.)

Police Major Janelito Marquez, chief of Labangon Police Station, for his part, said that it was around 2 p.m. when the owner of the water refilling station went to their station to seek for assistance to arrest the suspect. 

Three hours later, they received information about the suspect’s identity and later on got a lead of his presence in Barangay Labangon, where he resided. 

They arrested the suspect and recovered the cellphone of one of the employees worth P8,000 and a wallet containing three assorted identification cards. 

After further background checking, police found out that the suspect was jailed for human trafficking offense last March 2015 in Cebu City and illegal drug offense in 2017 in this city. His recent offense was robbery in Mandaue City. 

Police are waiting for the victims to file a robbery complaint against the suspect as of this posting. 

Marquez also reminds the public to always be vigilant and to not give criminals the opportunity to commit their lawless activities.

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