Four suspected snatchers, including a minor, were presented at Manila City Hall following their arrest in connection with a series of theft incidents targeting motorists stuck in traffic across the city.
Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso showed the suspects during his “Talk to the People” broadcast, detailing separate cases, many of which were captured on video by netizens and dashcams.
Two suspects were linked to a violent attempted robbery along Road 10 (R-10) in Tondo. Victims — a truck driver and his helper from Calamba, Laguna — said the suspects climbed onto their closed van early in the morning and tried to grab their phones.
One suspect, armed with a bladed weapon, attempted to stab the driver, who fought back and sustained injuries. The suspects fled without taking valuables.
In another incident, a minor was caught snatching a cellphone from a female motorcycle passenger along R-10. The act was recorded on dashcams.
The minor was turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), while the recovered phone is now police evidence.
Meanwhile, a fourth suspect was arrested in Paco for a snatching incident along Osmeña Highway. Authorities said he admitted to at least two more attempts.
The stolen phone had already been pawned for ₱3,000.
Police also recovered a firearm from him, now under investigation for possible gun law violations.
City authorities assured the public that police visibility and operations have been intensified to prevent similar cases. (Diann Calucin)
