Seven suspected members of an organized crime group believed to be responsible for the series of thefts at shopping malls all over the country were arrested by the police in two operations Monday and Sunday in Bacolod City.

Suspects Mercy Derla, 39, Jhon Paul Palma, 24, Justine Pascual, 23, Jeffrey Longasa, 25 and Joana Torres, 24, all of Caloocan City, and Diana Rose Blanza, 18, of Pasig City were apprehended at a pension house at Mabini Street, Bacolod at about 8 p.m. Monday.

Their companion, Antonio De Luna, 20, also of Caloocan, was arrested at about noon Sunday by security guards of the Gaisano City mall when he stole several items from the establishment.

The other companion of the group identified as Carlo Cruz, 18, of Caloocan evaded arrest and remains at large.

Special Operations Group head, Supt. Santiago Rapiz, said the management of the pension house sought their help after they noticed the suspicious activities of the suspects.

Rapiz said when they went to the area and checked the room the suspects occupied, they found huge cartons and several plastic bags containing items suspected to be stolen, valued at P80,000. The group failed to show proof of ownership.

The suspects admitted that they stole the items from different malls in Bacolod and that they have been operating in the city since they arrived on Saturday, he said.

Rapiz added that the suspects also attempted to bribe them so they would not be arrested, but they refused.

At the office of Bacolod City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz yesterday, Julius Estares, chief of the Customer Relations Service of SM City mall, identified some of the items recovered from the suspects as theirs.

Estares said they have close circuit television cameras and plain clothes security guard roving at the mall, but maybe because the suspects have many members it was difficult to notice their activity.

So far, representatives only of Gaisano City and SM City malls have identified the recovered items as theirs, the police said.

De la Paz said they will coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation to see if the suspects have pending cases, or have standing arrest warrants.

He said one thing is for sure, they are members of the organized crime group that operates nationwide, based on the notebook seized from one of them showing the lists of items they have stolen so far.

De la Paz also said the group is well-financed as a bank passbook was recovered from one of them showing a huge amount of savings deposit.

Investigation also showed that the suspects would purchase cheap items and after having paid for them at the counters and already have receipts, they go back to the department store and pick some more items and place them in their plastic bags, which have receipts stapled on them.

Derla admitted that they have been operating in malls in Metro Manila and in Bacolod City, and not nationwide. She added that they do not have a financier and that they are not organized, contrary to what the police claimed.

Derla added that a certain Arlene from Santa Cruz, Murcia invited them to come to Bacolod, and that the stolen items will be sold at lower prices in Manila.*APN

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