Police recovered more than 100 high-end cellphones believed to be stolen from a rented room in Pahina Central, San Nicolas, Cebu City, on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
According to George Ylanan, officer in charge of the Cebu City Police Office, authorities located the rented room after four victims filed complaints and used the device tracking features of their missing cellphones to pinpoint the location.
Police went to the area and allowed the four complainants to recover their respective devices after confirming ownership. Ylanan said the recovered units were mostly of the same brand, though he did not specify the total number belonging to each owner.
The occupant of the rented room was arrested during the operation. Police identified the suspect as a cellphone repair technician. The suspect claimed the cellphones were only sold to him and denied involvement in the thefts, according to Ylanan.
Ylanan clarified that not all of the recovered cellphones were stolen during the recent Sinulog festivities. He said some of the units may have been taken prior to the celebration, based on initial assessments by investigators.
Police said follow-up operations have been intensified to identify and arrest those responsible for the thefts, including possible accomplices involved in selling the devices.
Authorities also appealed to individuals who lost their cellphones to visit the Cebu City Police Office to verify whether their devices are among those recovered.
The investigation remains ongoing.
