Theft try on actor Alfred Vargas' house foiled

A 56-year-old helper who tried to spirit away a vault containing valuables from the house of Quezon City councilor and actor Alfred Vargas was arrested before dawn Friday. The suspect, initially identified as Clarita Florida, was loading the vault on a taxi when she was intercepted by Vargas' assistant, radio dzBB's Rodil Vega reported. Initial investigation showed Florida tried to take out Vargas' safety vault when she was left alone in the councilor's house in Don Antonio Heights, a residential subdivision in Quezon City. But as she was loading the vault into a taxi she called, she was stopped by Vargas' personal assistant, who called in the police. The report said Florida initially claimed she took the vault because someone called her and claimed her boss had figured in an accident and needed money for hospital bills. However, the report said she eventually admitted she needed the money to open a new business. She also claimed she acted alone. Florida now faces charges of qualified theft, the report said. — ELR, GMA News