Teacher in Tondo Loses About P300,000 in Cash and Gadgets to Theft
A female teacher loses nearly P300,000 in cash and gadgets to theft at a local printing shop in Tondo Manila.
Merlitte Verzosa, a high school science teacher lost almost P300,000 worth of cash and gadgets after being victimized while getting documents photocopied at a local printing shop.
CCTV footage from the shop showed a man who appeared to be another customer. While the teacher was busy at the counter, the man discreetly stole her bag, which was placed on a nearby chair.
“Actually nu’ng ako po ay magbabayad na, napansin ko ‘yung bag ko wala na sa aking tabi… Du’n na po nagsimula na parang natuyuan na ako ng laway. ‘Di ko alam ano gagawin ko. Parang mahihimatay ako na talagang humingi na ako ng tulong kung saan-saan,” Verzosa said.
The teacher, who was photocopying her students’ grades, discovered her bag missing when she went to pay. The bag contained two expensive cell phones, a laptop, credit cards, IDs, and P40,000 in cash, intended for her child’s tuition.
The educator immediately sought help. Authorities from the Manila Police District (MPD) quickly identified the suspect, a known thief recently released from jail. It was discovered that the man had a history of stealing even from his own relatives.
The suspect was eventually apprehended in Bocaue, Bulacan, following another theft. Some of the teacher’s belongings, including her ID and one cellphone, were recovered. However, the stolen cash and her laptop, containing years’ worth of teaching materials, remain missing.
Witnesses revealed that the suspect used the stolen money to distribute cash to neighbors and fund illegal activities in his Caloocan neighborhood. Another cellphone was traced to a mall where it had been sold.
Despite the loss, the teacher forgave the suspect, noting her connection to his family as her former student. However, she is pursuing charges to ensure justice is served.
As the investigation continues, the teacher struggles with losing her laptop, which is important for her lessons, and hopes for better security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In another post, a teacher shares how her first-grade students apologized
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