Two nabbed for burglarizing San Jose Church

Two men who allegedly burglarized a church and stole bottles of wine and office equipment were arrested during an operation conducted by the Department of Public Safety’s Thief Apprehension Select Coalition.

Maj. Edward Manalili, chief of the DPS Criminal Investigation Bureau, yesterday said that, besides the two, several other suspects were arrested when TASC agents, along with other CIB detectives, launched the Mass Apprehension Operation.

DPS spokesman Ken Concepcion said those apprehended were Albert Kaipat, 28; Joaquin Pangelinan, 18; Gregorio I. Teregeyo, 30; John Junior Lisua, 21; Joseph Lisua, 20; and Jesse Lisua, 20.

The defendants were scheduled for a bail hearing yesterday afternoon before Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo.

Concepcion said that Kaipat and Pangelinan were detained on charges of burglary, theft, criminal mischief, and conspiracy to commit burglary and theft, in connection with the break-in at the San Jose Church on Feb. 20, 2006.

Concepcion said preliminary investigation showed that the suspect or suspects broke into the San Jose Church by damaging one of the southeastern windows.

An undisclosed number of bottles of wine and other office equipment were stolen. The stolen wines were the ones used by priests during services or Mass, the DPS spokesman said.

TASC agents conducted a follow-up investigation and managed to identify Kaipat and Pangelinan as suspects in the case. TASC operatives were able to recover the stolen office equipment, but learned that the suspects had already consumed the wines.

A $10,000 cash bail each was initially set for Kaipat and Pangelinan.

Concepcion said TASC investigators served the arrest warrant to Teregeyo and John Junior Lisua for burglarizing Hakubotan on Beach Road in San Jose on Feb. 25, 2006.

Joseph Lisua surrendered to the police on the same day.

The DPS spokesman said that the three defendants were caught in the act of stealing the power lines inside the generator room at Hakubotan that day at 1:49am.

Last Thursday, the Superior Court issued an arrest warrant for the three defendants and set a $10,000 cash bail each. The defendants were charged with burglary, theft, and conspiracy to commit burglary and theft.

Concepcion said Jesse Lisua was served with an arrest warrant for theft after he allegedly stole a digital camera at a residence in China Town last Monday.

An anonymous caller led to the recovery of the camera. The defendant also confessed he stole the item, Concepcion said.

A $2,000 cash bail was set for the defendant’s temporary release.

Court papers indicate that Detective George Fleming was able to recover the camera from the GEC Pawnshop along Middle Road.

The victim is a relative of Jesse Lisua, police said.