Suspect arrested within 55 minutes of QC cellphone-snatching alarm
Recovered items (left and right) from the 18-year-old suspect arrested on Saturday, 17 October 2026, along with the motorcycle helmet and key he used (center).
Photo courtesy of Quezon City Police District
Operatives of the La Loma Police Station arrested an 18-year-old suspect on Saturday, 17 October, within 55 minutes of a flash alarm issued by the Holy Spirit Police Station in connection with a reported cellphone-snatching incident in Quezon City.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said the flash alarm was issued at around 3 a.m., leading to the suspect’s arrest at approximately 3:55 a.m. along Andres Bonifacio Avenue near Dorotea Street in Barangay Balingasa, Quezon City.
A report from the La Loma Police Station said patrolling personnel spotted the suspect, identified only by the alias “Renz,” riding a black Honda PCX motorcycle without a license plate.
“The motorcycle and rider reportedly matched the description provided in the flash alarm,” the QCPD said, citing the police station report.
Investigators found that the suspect was a resident of Barangay 310 in Manila. He was apprehended after verification.
Police reportedly recovered a .38-caliber revolver loaded with four live rounds from the suspect’s waist.
“A subsequent inspection of the motorcycle’s compartment yielded a hand grenade and five cellular phones, three iPhones and two Android phones,” the police report added.
The QCPD said charges for alleged violations of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and Republic Act 9516, which covers illegal possession of explosives, would be filed against the suspect before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.