April 7, 2024 – In the U.S. Island Territory of Guam, a man who allegedly walked out of a jewelry store with $24,000 worth of jewelry on Saturday was captured and charged in court the same day. Officers with the Guam Police Department responded to a jewelry store in East Hag�t�a just before noon for a reported theft. The store�s employees told police that a man, later identified as David Quichocho Uncangco Jr., had entered the store searching for a birthday gift for his son. But, when showed some merchandise, he reportedly took off with the items.
“The defendant had requested to view two gold baht chains and one diamond pendant. The total value (was) $24,290,” a magistrate’s complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam said.
Uncangco took the items and, in the process of running out of the store, the complaint said, he dropped his cellphone. He fled the store in a silver sedan GPD would later use to track him.
“Police learned that the defendant had rented the silver sedan � (and were) able to track the location of the vehicle. Police proceeded to said location,” the complaint said.
The vehicle�s license plate had been changed. When officers pulled the vehicle over, Uncangco was in the driver�s seat.
“A search of the vehicle yielded five plastic baggies containing suspected methamphetamine, one beveled cut straw containing suspected methamphetamine and two transparent pipes containing brown and white frosty substance suspected to be methamphetamine,” the complaint said, noting that at least one of the baggies contained 0.33 grams of the drug known as ice.
The jewelry store was not the only business to report a heist. On March 22, Uncangco allegedly stole a 24-karat gold coin from a pawn shop in Dededo.
“The defendant took the gold coin valued at $3,340 and walked out the door without paying for it,” the complaint said. Uncangco was charged with two counts of retail theft as second-degree felonies and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance as a third-degree felony.
Article by Jolene Toves- The Guam Daily Post.
Click here to read the original unredacted article (to remove the jewelry store’s name).