Manila U-belt cybercafe robbed

Suspected members of a "Bolt Cutter Gang" broke into a computer rental shop in Manila’s University Belt early yesterday morning and carted away some P300,000 in computers and monitors.

Burglarized was the Cyberworld Cafe at 2439 Legarda corner Manrique Streets.

Investigators of the Western Police District -Theft and Robbery Section said the thieves may have struck between Friday midnight and 8:30 a.m. yesterday.

The theft was discovered at about 8:30 a.m. by Ruel Nadera, 22, branch manager of the establishment.

Police said the suspects destroyed the padlock of the establishment’s metal roll-up door and carted the computer units into a waiting van.

Investigators refused to disclose further details about the suspects and the get-away van, lest their follow-up operations be hampered.

Investigators ruled out an inside job.

"The suspects most probably cased the area first and struck after the employees of the café had left," said Chief Inspector Jimmy Tiu, head of the WPD-Theft and Robbery Section.

Several Internet cafes in the area have also been burglarized by presumably the same people who broke in by snipping padlock hasps with boltcutters.

As a result of the incident, Tiu said he would meet with owners of establishments in the university-belt to discuss how to improve their security.

According to Tiu, the use of silent alarms is one of the security measures he hopes establishments in the area would adopt to deter thieves. He said silent alarms connected to telephones, would immediately inform the nearest police precinct of any ongoing theft or robbery. – Mike Frialde