CCTV captured a man pretending to be a priest and attempting to steal a cellphone in Barangay 344, Sta. Cruz, Manila on March 30, 2025. According to the victim, they met with the suspect to buy a cellphone that he was selling on an online marketplace.
In the CCTV footage, the victim can be seen putting down her cellphone while writing a contract. They did not realize that the suspect took the cellphone and avoided them from seeing him hurrying to leave.
The victim said that an employee at the outreach center asked if she knew the man, and that's when she became suspicious. She immediately chased the suspect but was unable to catch him. With the help of the barangay, she provided information to the police to identify the suspect.
According to the victim, the stolen cellphone was worth P74,000 which he was hoping to use for his nephew's baptism. When he posted it on social media, he discovered that the suspect had three other victims.
The barangay reminded residents to be careful with online transactions and not to trust strangers.
