File photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A 32-year-old man was caught shoplifting clothes and a bag from a department store on Sunday allegedly to wear to a Valentine’s Day party.
This happened inside a mall in Cebu City on Sunday, February 11, 2024.
The suspect was identified as Kenneth Cobilla Corillo, 32, unemployed and a resident of Sitio Zapanta, Barangay Tejero in Cebu City. He is reportedly a native of Tacloban City in Leyte.
Corillo landed in jail for allegedly shoplifting a few products inside a department store at around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. The stolen goods were reportedly what he was planning to wear to a gathering in celebration of Valentine’s Day.
READ: Sisters arrested for alleged shoplifting in mall
Lieutenant Norvin Noceda, Deputy Station Commanders at the Waterfront Police Station, said that an employee of the department store saw Corillo browsing through the displayed items like any other customer at the time of the incident.
He narrated that Corillo grabbed a few pieces of clothing and a bag. He then allegedly discreetly placed the clothes inside the bag.
After doing so, Corillo allegedly skipped the cashier and went out of the store with the bag.
However, one of the employees of the store was able to monitor Corillo and went up to him when he exited the store to ask if he had a receipt for the items that he took.
Corillo allegedly told the employee that the bag he was carrying was his own which he allegedly purchased previously.
The employee, however, found this suspicious as the bag still had a price tag attached to it and Corillo could not present a receipt.
Corillo was then invited to the administrator’s office where they found several other items, with tags still on, stashed inside the bag during the interrogation.
READ: Theft case filed against barber caught shoplifting in Talisay City
A police report revealed that Corillo stole a bag, 2 pairs of pants, and 4 t-shirts worth a total of P5,608.
By virtue of citizen’s arrest, Corillo was apprehended and turned over to the Waterfront Police Station at around 8:20 p.m.
According to Noceda, the shoplifting suspect told police that he stole the items because he was going to wear them to a Valentine’s Day party in Leyte.
Instead of attending the party however, Corillo is spending his Valentine’s Day at the custodial facility of the Waterfront Police Station.
Noceda added that they have filed charges of theft against Corillo at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, February 13.
READ: New Zealand MP quits over shoplifting raps