Janitor who stole soup bones worth P100 charged with simple theft

A charge for simple theft has been lodged by the Mabolo Police against the janitor who stole more than P100 worth of soup bones from a mall in Cebu City.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A janitor who stole soup bones in a mall in Cebu City has been charged with simple theft by the Mabolo Police Station.

Police Senior Master Sergeant Enrique Manolong said the suspect, Junever Dejito Vercede, who was arrested on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, for allegedly stealing soup bones worth P116.38 underwent inquest proceedings at the City Prosecutors Office on Friday morning, June 30.

“Nihangyo sila (for settlement), pero na file naman nakong kaso…Na inquest siya ganinang buntag. Na estorya na ni fiscal ang representative sa mall, arresting officers, ug kining suspect,” Manolong told CDN Digital.

The 29-year-old janitor is still detained at the Mabolo Police Station until he can post bail.

The recommended bail was set at P3,000.

Manolong said with the amount involved there is a big possibility that the janitor’s case will be covered by the rules on summary procedure.

The Revised Rule on Summary Procedure and the 2016 Revised Rules on Small Claims Cases were promulgated to simplify and expedite proceedings.

“Simple theft ra bisan trabahante siya sa mall pero ang item nga iyang gikuha, dili siya under ba, dili sya pwede ma qualified theft,” the investigator said.

Vercede was allegedly caught in the act of stealing the soup bones from the grocery store of a department store in Apas, Cebu City. He was arrested by the mall’s guards and was turned over to the Mabolo Police Station.

So far, the arrested janitor still refused to issue any statement regarding the incident or as to why he stole the soup bones.   /rcg

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