Two groups behind series of robbery – PRO-7

CEBU, Philippines - Two robbery groups are now eyed as behind the series of recent heists in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Toledo, and Lapu-Lapu, the police said.

Police Regional Office-7 deputy regional director for operations Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa said they are looking at 13 perpetrators who all reportedly have the same descriptions with those captured by the closed-circuit television cameras of the establishments robbed.

Capa said the 13 robbers are divided into two groups – one group responsible for the Cebu City robberies and the other group for the robberies in Mandaue, Toledo, and Lapu-Lapu.

Capa called for a conference among intelligence officers tasked to look into the CCTV footages of the establishments and analyze the appearances of the robbers.

Analysis showed that one of the robbers tagged as suspect number 1, who was seen wearing the same white New Orleans shirt and a cap, carrying a sling bag and holding a helmet in separate footages, appeared in four robbery incidents: Alberto’s Pizza outlet along P. del Rosario Street, Cebu City last October 28; Western Union outlet in Sitio Banawa, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City last October 9; La Nueva Supermarket in Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City last April 6; and an LBC outlet in Barangay Taboan, Cebu City last March 10.

Suspect number 2, who was wearing a helmet and appeared to have a minor limp, was spotted in the robberies of Florence Convenience Store along Gorordo Street, Cebu City last November 12, and in the robberies of Alberto’s Pizza and Western Union outlets.

Suspect number 3, who was wearing a helmet, was sighted in the footage during the November 12 robbery of Florence Convenience Store.

Suspect number 4, who was wearing a cap and carrying a sling bag on his left shoulder, was believed to be the same suspect in the heists of La Nueva Supermarket and LBC outlet along with suspect number 1.

“Suspect number 1 and suspect number 4 registered the same built in the footages,” Capa said.

Suspect  numbers 5, 6 and 7, who were wearing caps, were sighted in the CCTV footage during the heist of Alvgras Baskeshop in Lapu-Lapu City last July 25.

Suspect number 8, who was wearing white-soled shoes, cap and helmet, appeared to have the same built with the person seen in the footages during the robberies of Platinum Gas Station in Toledo City last August 31, of Shell Gas Station in the same city last August 31, of Remee General Merchandise in Cabancalan, Mandaue City last October 23, and of Star Oil Gas Station in Subangdaku, Mandaue City last November 5.

Suspect number 9 was seen wearing the same helmet and jacket in the heists of Platinum Gas Station and Shell Gas Station. He was also wearing the same helmet as seen in the footages in the robbery at Remee General Merchandise and Star Oil Gas Station.

Moreover, suspect number 10 was seen wearing the same green and yellow top and suspect number 11 wore the same helmet during the robberies of Platinum Gas Station and Shell Gas Station.

Suspect number 11, however, died during the shootout with Shell gas station owner while suspect number 10 managed to escape with his cohorts.

Suspect numbers 12 and 13, who were both wearing striped shirts and helmets, appeared in the CCTV footages at Remee General Merchandise. Suspect number 13 was already identified as Ponciano Villamor after he was arrested in a separate offense.

According to Capa, suspect numbers 1 to 4 are possibly behind the heists in Cebu City while suspects numbers 5 to 13 in the robberies in Mandaue, Toledo, and Lapu-Lapu cities.

The PRO-7 official appealed to the public to report to them if they have seen the suspects in their neighborhood for their eventual arrest.

Capa assured that any information given will be treated with utmost confidentiality.

The public can contact the Regional Intelligence Division through hotline numbers 09173057396, 09176293602, 0999689 9112 and 254-2289.

“We need all the help we can get,” Capa said. — (FREEMAN)