American Tourist gets burgled in Sibulan Negros Oriental - Update – Local news

In the early hours 2 O’clock in the morning Friday 17th 2008 whilst Keith Ackerman a native of San Jose California, was fast a sleep.  A young Filipino burglar gain entrance by taking out 2 panes of jealousy blades (it’s thought he was not wearing gloves) after ripping away an area of windows fly mesh. Whilst doing so the burglar left foot prints in the soft soil outside the window. He silently slipped into a spare bedroom and then walked through in to the living room and opened the front door to let an older member of the gang young thief’s in. The young lad of 13 years old waited at the door. 

The young thief’s older accomplice passed a laptop computer through the open door to his young friend. He then pocketed the coins from the living room coffee table.  He then calmly proceeded to the Americans bedroom where both Keith Ackerman and his partner where fast asleep, the thief then found the safe in the wardrobe they had seen through the room earlier when they peered through using a small cigarette lighter flashlight to spot anything of value.  As the safe was not secured he picking up the safe but made a noise of which woke up the Americans partner, of then when realizing there was someone running out the bedroom  gave chase to the front door screaming and shouting being scantly dressed she halted at the door, Keith Ackerman was woke up by the shouting, but the thief and accomplice had long escaped. And seeing that  Keith is slightly handicapped and can not walk fast let alone chase after the burglar even if he wanted too. .   

The local Sibulan police where contacted and Police Aid Herson Concepcion investigated the scene of the crime and found foot prints outside the window the thief entered. The safe had contained the Americans passport his check book, savings book, stock account statement 15,000 Philippine peso’s, 600 US$ a total loss of 113,915 Philippine pesos counting the price of the safe and laptop and the 115 peso’s in coins pinched from the living room coffee table. A police blotter report was made at the police station by PO2 Glenn O Gregana.

Today Sunday 19th October at 1 O’Clock I interviewed PO3 Carlo Cual of whom was on duty at Sibulan police station and presented the facts that there had been no follow up, that the crime lab and the investigation team had not visited the scene of the crime as promised by Herson Concepcion and PO2 Glenn O Gregana when the blotter entry was completed.    

At this point I am not sure that the information was passed on and it would seem that the desk sergeant or police station command have been informed about this Robbery of 113.915 Peso’s of which in the Philippines is considered as a Hugh amount of money and a serious crime. Today the police commander is reported to be visiting <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />Cebu so I had no chance of getting an interview.

 I expect that it’s the weekend that slowed down the process of investigation I have heard rumors before, that due to the shortage of police staff over the week end the crime solving process slows down and this is not just on the Island of Negros but everywhere in the Philippines. I will expect that tomorrow morning a full investigation plus finger prints will be lifted off of the jealousy blades and a pair of man sandals left behind by the thief will go to the police station as an item of evidence.

 When I interviewed Keith Ackerman he told me that the police had a know suspect and stated this guy carried a small gun when carrying out burglaries. If that true, it’s a good job Keith’s partner had not caught up to the thief as he may have shot her.

 The Americans partner had contacted her friend an off duty Dumague city policeman and husband of the owner a beach resort, to see if he could help as the local police had not sent any police investigators to the site of the crime. It turned out to be a coincident that the policeman’s own house at the resort had also been burgled and as it turns out by the same gang of young thief’s. The policeman was one of the Dumaguete City police intelligence team and had just been informed by a police informer that the same gang had burgled both places.   

The policeman found the 13 year old member of the gang of who instantly confessed his part in both burglaries and the names of 4 others involved in both crimes. He also stated the safe was smashed open and the money, savings book and check books removed and then slung into a small local stream. This afternoon Sunday 19th the retrieved safe was handed back to Keith Ackerman of whom was please to find his passport and documents where still inside.

This should not cause worries to tourists as it very seldom tourist homes are burglarized in Negro’s Oriental, but if there is no iron grills over jealous bladed windows keep the blades shut at night or when you’re away. Safes should be bolted to walls and floor and fitting a good Yale lock that can be secured by a key from inside as well as out stops the burglars normal escape route. Bolts on the outside of spare bedrooms not used are also a good precautions. Security lights to light up all sides of the house are also a good prevention against burglary.  

Update:

Day five and the Sibulan police have not yet completed the affidavit to open arrest warrents this means of course due to rumor etc the robbers have gone into hiding and when the police go to pick them up they are not going to be at home. This is the first time I have made analysis of a crime in the Philippines and I really hope that this case is not the average Filipino police investigation. 

Keith Ackerman ask questions at the police station today 21st October, such as why has no police officer visited the crime scene to lift of the finger print from the glass window? Why hasn't the thief sandles been examined for DN?. His main question is how many hours does it take to arrest known suspects?  

Curously the police asked Keith's live in  partner to get a authority of attorney to act on behalf of her foreign partner this has confused both keith and his partner as Keith is attending the police station to chase up and get inteligence of what is happen and at present nothing much. 

It common policy to inform the Mayor and Governer with a complaint concerning the police and it would seem that Keith will take this action within the near future. 

Its now know that the wife of the gang leader was given the US Dollars and local currence stolen, the police have all this police inteligients but seemingly dragging their feet.