20-year-old steals rice, pork from Isabela restaurant, gets arrested in hot pursuit operation

ECHAGUE, Isabela — A 20-year-old man was arrested for allegedly stealing rice and several kilograms of pork from a restaurant in Echague, Isabela, but police also recovered a caliber .38 revolver from his possession during a hot pursuit operation on October 23.

The suspect, identified only by the alias “Ben,” is a resident of Barangay San Fabian, where the alleged theft occurred.

According to a report published by PS Balita, citing police information, a 35-year-old businesswoman reported that their restaurant had been entered at around 1:10 a.m., with rice and several kilograms of pork missing from their cooler.

Police reviewed the establishment’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to identify the suspect and launched a hot pursuit operation at around 8:30 a.m. the same day.

Authorities later apprehended the suspect and recovered items believed to have been stolen, including a sack containing approximately five kilograms of rice and a bag of pork.

A caliber .38 revolver was also recovered from his possession, prompting further investigation into the firearm.

The suspect and the recovered items were brought to the Echague Municipal Police Station for documentation and appropriate legal action. He may face charges related to alleged theft and a possible violation of firearms laws, depending on the results of the investigation.

In a separate incident, Bombo Radyo Cauayan reported on August 25, 2026, that three individuals were charged with theft after allegedly stealing 30 broiler chickens intended for delivery to a dressing plant in San Isidro, Isabela. The chickens were reportedly taken from a poultry farm in Barangay Marasat Pequeño, San Mateo, and allegedly unloaded and sold in Barangay Victoria in the same municipality.

While the reported cases involved different commodities, authorities continue to investigate alleged theft incidents involving business and personal property across the province.