American citizen arrested in Angeles City for luggage theft

CLARK FREEPORT, Philippines  —  An American citizen was arrested at an apartelle in Angeles City on Wednesday after footage of closed-circuit television cameras showed that he stole the luggage of two South Korean students at the Clark International Airport. 

Julio Cesar Sanchez, 35, was collared by personnel of the Clark International Airport Corp. security department, Aviation Security Unit and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group after he was positively identified as the person who took the luggage of the students, according to Jaime Alberto Melo, CIAC president.

Sanchez told probers that he took the luggage because he hated Koreans. 

The victims – Jo Seungcheol, 28, and Cha Gunmin, 14 – reported that their luggage was missing upon their arrival from Incheon on board  JinAir flight on Dec. 24. 

Sanchez arrived on the same day from Incheon on an AirAsia  flight.

“CCTV footage determined the suspect as a male and a bearded Caucasian with a black cap who picked up two black luggage at the conveyor area.  Another CCTV angle was able to capture the plate number of the suspect’s vehicle upon leaving the airport premises,” Melo said.