A retired police officer and three other cohorts, who were tagged as members of the 鈥淪alisi Gang,鈥� were arrested in a police operation shortly after victimizing a Chinese national in San Juan City on Thursday.
Reports from the Eastern Police District (EPD) identified the arrested suspects as retired SPO3 Nacasio Bautista, 57; Alma de Leon, 40; Arnold Aloja, 32; and Maricel Ocampo, 52.
Investigation revealed that at around 12:00 p.m., Aloja stole the bag of victim Connie Que, 43, while the latter was unloading goods from a van.
Police said the bag contained the victim鈥檚 wallet with P1,060, 36 pieces of Yuan currencies, a gold bracelet worth P5,000, cell phones, and identification cards.
When Aloja ran away with the bag, Que鈥檚 helpers noticed the fleeing suspect and gave a chase. As part of the modus, Aloja immediately handed the bag to De Leon before they both boarded a waiting get-away vehicle.
Police said they noticed the commotion and chased after the escaping suspects.
Bautista, who was driving the vehicle, dropped De Leon and Aloja near a supermarket and continued driving.
After another brief chase, authorities were able to collar De Leon, Aloja, and the other suspect, Ocampo, who allegedly acted as a lookout during the incident.
The SUV driven by Bautista was also cornered in a nearby shopping center.
The victim鈥檚 bag was recovered along the street after the suspects tossed it during the chase.
Police found out that Bautista was a retired police officer during interrogation at the San Juan City Police Station. He has been retired since 2013.
The suspects were detained at the San Juan police headquarters and are now facing theft charges.
Police also advised the public to be vigilant against the modus operandi of gang members who lurk near malls, restaurants, airports, fastfood chains, and computer shops, waiting on victims to get distracted.听
Authorities said these gang mebers will either divert the attention of their victims or wait for the perfect chance to divest the belongings of their target victim. /jpv