ILOILO City – Two women were accused of stealing from a store on JM Basa Street.
But officers released Mimi Lares, 49, and Nida Sebuan, 56 – both residents of Silay City, Negros Occidental – after taking them to Police Station 1.
The complainants failed to show proof that the women shoplifted.
Store manager Shirlyn Delfinado and dealer Joyce Lobaton claimed the two women stole items from the Philippine Wacoal Corp. at around 12:30 p.m. on May 19.
Delfinado told the police she and Lobaton caught Lares and Sebuan taking products from the store’s display rack and putting them inside their shoulder bags.
Delfinado said she and Lobaton blocked the door and called the police, prompting the two women to return the products to the display rack.
But, at Police Station 1, the complainants failed to present the items the two women allegedly tried to take.
Investigators were unable to get any video proof from the store’s malfunctioning security camera either. Police then let the two women go.
On May 22, Delfinado returned to Police Station 1, saying she has viewed footage from their security camera and discovered that Lares and Sebuan had taken products from their store before.
Moreover Delfinado said they inventoried their products and found P29,915 worth of lingerie were missing.
It was not immediately clear as of this writing what step the police would take next. (Margaret Anjelie Llorico, Intern/PN)
