DPS still on the lookout for Castro

The Department of Public Safety is still on the lookout for Edward Castro, who was allegedly involved in a burglary and theft incident on Capital Hill where over $126,000 worth of items were stolen.

“The search for him is still pending,” said DPS assistant Chief of Police Simon Manacop.

As of press time, DPS is still on the hunt for Castro, but his two alleged accomplices in the case have been identified and brought before the Superior Court for a bail hearing.

Brandon Joel Lizama Benavente and Consalacion Villagomez Muña Sablan were brought before Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph Camacho last Thursday,

The couple previously made an appearance before the same judge for a bail hearing in relation to the discovery of drugs, a firearm, and ammunition in their residence.

According to court documents, DPS received a call on Jan. 19, reporting a burglary in progress at a two-story house on Capital Hill.

The victim, Yuan Jing, told police over the phone that she was hiding in her bedroom’s restroom with her 7-year-old son because she could hear two or three individuals moving around her house.

Police arrived at the scene at around 6:34am and saw that the home’s automatic car garage door had been pried open with a jack stand, two pieces of wood, a screwdriver, and a bolt cutter.

After securing the scene, police met with the victim who stated that she kept $110,000 worth of savings in her home and it had been stolen, along with her branded bag and wallet containing $1,000.

In addition, the victim said her business checks, bank cards, luggage, a brand-new iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple AirPods, a Dell computer monitor, an HP computer monitor, an electric notebook, and jewelry had also been stolen.

That same day, the victim said she went to Bank of Saipan to cancel her checks and inform them they had been stolen, to which they told her that a woman had come in earlier to cash a check.

The cashed check was shown to Jing, which she submitted to police. The check was addressed to Sablan dated Jan. 10, in the amount of $1,500.

At around 6:23pm that same day, police learned that a couple tried to use a credit card at the Rock Steady shop and the identification card provided with the credit card had the picture scratched out.

Police got surveillance footage from the shop and identified Sablan as the same woman who had cashed Jing’s work check.

On Jan. 20, the victim received a call from a man who was asking her for money in exchange for her stolen phone. The man said another man sold him the phone but it was locked and it was directing him to call her number.

At around 10:57am that same day, a man named Jack Sablan allegedly called her, stating he bought her phone and her iPad and was willing to return them for a reward.

Jing, along with police, agreed to meet with the caller at Winner’s Laundry where police managed to identify Castro, who was posing as Jack Sablan.

Castro was escorted back to DPS’ headquarters where he was interviewed. He told police that he had tried to sell the items back to the victim under the instruction of Sablan, saying he only did it because he owes Sablan money.

Before the suspects were detained, it was learned that they managed to use Jing’s credit cards in several other stores and shops.

Sablan and Benavente were arrested on Feb. 1, when police executed a search warrant in relation to the theft and burglary case that Jing had reported. During the search, police also busted the couple for possession of methamphetamine, a firearm, and ammunition.

Edward Castro