Man Caught on CCTV Pretending to Be Tenant in San Mateo Apartment Theft
A CCTV captured a theft incident where in a man pretended to be a tenant at an apartment in San Mateo, Rizal.
On early Sunday morning, February 22, 2026, a theft incident was caught on CCTV in an apartment building in Barangay Ampid Uno. The suspect pretended to be a tenant as he entered the building, making it appear as though he belonged there.
In the video, the man was seen walking straight inside and heading up to the second floor. When he noticed that one of the rooms still had its lights on, he quickly stepped back and went downstairs.
Instead of leaving, he began checking the windows of different units. He tried opening them one by one until he found a room with an accessible window.
The room belonged to Angelica Madla and her family. While the family was asleep near the window, the suspect quietly reached inside and took a mobile phone placed near the head of the bed. The stolen phone was valued at around P15,000.
Before leaving, the man paused and waited for a resident walking a dog to pass by. After making sure the path was clear, he calmly walked away as if nothing had happened.
Angelica shared that they felt safe because their apartment had a gate and CCTV cameras. It was the first time they experienced this kind of incident, which made the situation even more upsetting.
She immediately reported the matter to the barangay in hopes that the suspect would be identified and caught.
Barangay officials said the man was not a resident of the area. They explained that most local offenders are already known, and this suspect appeared to be an outsider. After the incident, security in the area was strengthened while authorities continued their follow-up operations.
Officials also reminded residents to stay alert and secure their windows and doors at all times, even if they believe their area is safe.
The social media users expressed their reactions to the incident:
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