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Storeowner catches alleged burglar; owner had to be rushed to hospital
The experience of catching a burglar inside a closed store in Koblerville late at night was so frightening to the female storeowner that she had to be rushed by an ambulance to the hospital.
Police officers had to summon an ambulance after they noticed that the female owner of Flo’s Mini Mart kept touching her chest and was hyperventilating. There was no report yet about her health condition.
Suspect Romileo Oronigo Sahagun, 21, was arrested on Sunday night for burglary and disturbing the peace.
At a hearing yesterday, Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio imposed 10 percent of the $10,250 cash bail. Preliminary hearing will be on Aug. 21 at 9am.
A couple that owns the store allegedly caught Sahagun hiding between the shelves of the establishment that was closed on Sunday night.
Police detective Andrew S. Taimanao said that Sahagon told police that he broke into the Flo’s Mini Mart through the air-conditioner’s window at the back to steal betel nuts and cigarettes, but the owners caught him.
Taimanao said preliminary investigation showed that when two police officers responded to the store at 11:54pm after receiving a call about a burglary, they noticed that all lights were turned on inside the store.
The store owners directed the officers’ attention to Sahagon, who was inside the store and appeared cooperative.
The owners pointed to the officers the air-conditioner’s window hole at the rear of the store where the suspect gained entry.
The owner said the store was already closed but he could not sleep so he got up to make a coffee. He and his wife then heard the sound of pots banging from the northern side of the store.
The female owner was frightened when she opened the light in the store and saw the suspect hiding between the shelves of pots just below the aircon window.
Sahagon did not resist or fought the couple.
Later police requested for medical personnel after they noticed that the storeowner kept touching her chest and was hyperventilating.
At 12:26am, the ambulance arrived and transported the victim to the hospital.
A crime scene technician recovered at the scene a knife that the suspect used in cutting to open the screen.
