Police recovered at least P170,000 worth of stolen camera and camera equipment from four people who were suspected to be members of a Salisi Gang.
Mandaue police raided the houses of the four suspects at the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City after they identified them through a security footage of Castle Peak Hotel in barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City.
The three women and a man were caught on the hotel’s security camera stealing a bag owned by photographer Clint Caingles, who was having dinner at the hotel.
Caingles told police that the bag contained a Nikon DSLR camera, two lenses, batteries and a flash all worth around P170,000.
Caingles informed the hotel management of the theft when he noticed that his bag, which he placed a few feet away from him, was missing.
Through a footage of the hotel’s security cameras, they saw two women distracting Caingles and covering his view from his bag while another woman took his bag.
The three women and a man hurriedly left after taking the bag.
Supt. Michael Bastes of Mandaue City Police Office said Caingles sought their help.
However, Bastes said they could only recover the stolen items.
They did not arrest the suspects because Caingles merely wanted to recover the stolen items and was not interested in filing a case.