Pharmacy loses over P1M to burglars

CEBU, Philippines - At least P1 million in cash was taken by unidentified burglars who broke into a pharmacy in Barangay Poblacion, Argao over the weekend.

Tifany Tiu, pharmacist of Rose Pharmacy-Argao branch, discovered the burglary past 7 a.m. yesterday. Senior Inspector Alejandro Batobalonos, Argao police chief, believes the burglars may have broken into the pharmacy in the middle of the heavy downpour Sunday evening.

The burglars used a crowbar and manual drill to bore a hole on the back wall and used pliers and hacksaw in cutting the steel rod to gain entry.

The unidentified persons then took the still undetermined amount of sales from the previous week inside the pharmacy.

“Bisan pa og lansang imong idukdok sa semento mabungkag na to, ang lisod lang kadtong kabilya mao toy ilang gigabas para makasulod,” Batobalonos said.

Batobalonos said the pharmacy manager told him that the burglars may have carted away P1 million cash but the area manager refused to confirm the amount saying he still have to conduct an inventory.

Batobalonos said the tools left by the burglars still have price tags of a mall in Cebu City. The police also recovered a wet shirt near the hole and a plastic bag with bread near the wall.

He believed that the perpetrators had purchased and ate bread from a nearby bakeshop before pulling off the heist.

A closed-circuit television camera footage which was retrieved by the police showed three suspicious-looking persons eating at the bakeshop on Sunday night.

Although CCTV cameras were installed inside the pharmacy but these were switched off.

“Ako baya sila nga giingnan nganong palongon man nila ang CCTV nga daku man unta na og tabang pareha ani karon kay wala gud sila’y guwardiya para sa gabie, wa gyod naglisod ang kawatan hinoon,” Batobalonos said.

Batobalonos said the burglars may have had local contacts because they knew the exact place where they could get in without being noticed.

“Kung dili ka suheto dili ka makadumdum asa moagi sa likod, lagmit naa ni sila’y kontak diri, pero dili na taga diri ang mitira kay ang mga gamit wala man gipalit sa mga hardware sa Argao,” he said.

He said the burglars also knew that there was substantial amount of cash inside the pharmacy.  (FREEMAN)