BY: VANESSA BUGTONG

A 66-year-old woman in Baguio City is at a loss after the money she saved for her trip to the Visayas was stolen by a thief.

The incident, which happened inside their bakery, was caught on CCTV.

Anita, the victim, had been saving for months to visit a sick relative in the province, someone she hadn’t seen in 50 years.

“My uncle already passed away. I won’t get to see him anymore. It would’ve been the second time we met after five decades,” Anita shared, her voice trembling.

Surveillance footage shows the suspect casually walking into their store.

After a few moments of looking around, he grabbed Anita’s shoulder bag, slung it on, and walked out as if nothing had happened.

The bag contained 15,000 pesos, the total of her three months’ worth of savings.

“When I couldn’t find my bag, I said, ‘God, please not my bag.’ I searched everywhere, the bathroom, the kitchen, but it was gone. I just knew it was taken, and with it, my money for the trip,” Anita said.

They immediately reported the incident to police and also sought help on social media.

Through online efforts, they discovered that the suspect had allegedly victimized others before.

“To be sure, we even showed the footage to my sibling. That’s when we were certain, it was him,” Anita said.

According to Baguio City Police Office, 26 theft cases have been recorded in the city during the first quarter of the year, including four “salisi” incidents.

That’s a 74% decrease from 81 cases in the same period last year.

Still, police remind the public, especially business owners, to remain cautious.

“In public areas, we have police presence. But lately, thefts are happening inside private establishments, so we must all be vigilant. Always secure your premises before leaving,” said Police Colonel Ruel Tagel, Baguio City Police Director.

Authorities continue to search for the suspect.