A 19-year-old man was arrested in Makati City on Thursday, August 28, after police tracked him down using the GPS (Global Positioning System) signal from the very phone he had snatched.
The suspect, identified by Makati City Police as “Raquim,” is a resident of Pasay City.
According to investigators, the 25-year-old female victim was waiting for public transport along Chino Roces Avenue in Barangay Pio Del Pilar at around 5:50 a.m. when Raquim and an accomplice, known only as “JJ,” approached on a motorcycle and snatched her phone, valued at P83,990.
The victim immediately reported the incident to Police Sub-Station 3, prompting police to launch a follow-up operation using CCTV footage and the “Find My” GPS tracking app.
The phone’s signal was traced to Barangays 03 and 04 in Pasay City.
Upon arriving at the location, the victim spotted a Yamaha Mio 125 motorcycle resembling the suspects’ getaway vehicle.
Its rider, wearing a white T-shirt and black helmet, matched her description of the snatcher. Police arrested Raquim on the spot and recovered the stolen phone, the Yamaha Mio 125 motorcycle, two helmets, and the motorcycle’s official receipt and certificate of registration (OR/CR), which was registered under a certain “Jonathan.”
Authorities said follow-up operations are underway to locate and apprehend the second suspect.
Raquim is currently detained at the Makati Custodial Facility and may face charges of theft under Article 308 of the Revised Penal Code, as well as violation of Republic Act No. 11235, or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, for using a motorcycle in the commission of a crime. (Richielyn Canlas)
