The Bacolod police yesterday reiterated a warning to the public not to let strangers into their homes after a man who has stolen thousands of pesos in cash and valuables struck again.

For the sixth time, the still unidentified man who has been tricking house helpers to believe that  he is a relative of their employers, hit a residence in Bacolod City Friday, taking P300,000 worth of jewels and a DVD player, Police Station 4 commander, Chief Inspector Santiago Rapiz, said.

The suspect stole the items from the house of a couple, whose identities the police withheld, at Villa San Agustin, Brgy. Villamonte, Bacolod City Friday by tricking helpers into believing that he is their employer’s cousin.

Pretending to be the cousin of their employer’s wife, the two female helpers told the police the man told them he needed to leave a box of jewelry with them and one of them had to accompany him to meet his cousin at a mall in Bacolod, Rapiz said.

On the way to the mall, however, the suspect told the helper to meet his cousin at the mall by herself as he had an emergency, and had to go back to the couple’s house. He then told the other helper at the house he needed to get the jewels he had left, Rapiz said.

Sensing something was wrong, the helpers’ employer went home but discovered that the man had already left with their valuables, Rapiz added.

While it is the responsibility of the police to investigate and run after the man, Rapiz said it is the role of homeowners and their helpers to ensure the security of their residences from thieves by not easily trusting people who claim to be their relatives or friends.

Bacolod City Police Office director, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, said the suspect could be prevented from stealing if the public observed precautions in dealing with strangers who visit their homes.

“The basic rule of ‘don’t talk to strangers’ should be observed,” Quebrar said.

Better yet, he said, the public, particularly house helpers, should immediately call the nearest police station when strangers identify themselves to be their employers’ relatives, especially when they ask or insist to enter their houses so their identities could be verified.

Friday’s swindling was the sixth of a series of similar incidents where the same suspect had been involved.

The police have released the facial sketch of the man and have called on the public to immediately report any sightings of him.*PP

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