By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A suspected thief was mauled by angry bystanders and eventually arrested yesterday afternoon after he stole a mobile phone inside the San Sebastian Cathedral in Bacolod City.
Police identified the victim as Jonalyn Ardeña, a college student temporarily residing at the Greenplains Subdivision in Bacolod City’s Barangay Alijis.
Police Station 1 (PS1) commander, Police Major Jovil Sedel, said Ardeña and her classmates were conducting an activity inside the church and she left her mobile phone unattended. The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Mark ‘Nonoy’ Tan of the Rosario Heights Subdivision in the city’s Barangay Taculing, allegedly took the phone walked away with it.
When Ardeña noticed that her phone was stolen, she saw Tan exiting the church in a hurry, prompting her and her classmates to chase the suspect.
The suspect dashed towards Plaza Mart, while Ardeña shouted for help from several bystanders, including employees from the city’s General Services Office.
Once the suspect was cornered inside the mall, bystanders took turns mauling the suspect before he was eventually hauled off to PS1.
The stolen mobile phone was eventually recovered from the suspect’s possession and, despite the recovery, Tan denied stealing the device.
Sedel said the suspect may face theft charges and is currently detained at PS1./DGB, WDJ