Jewelry shop padlocked for being robbed thrice

The jewelry store robbed by the Martilyo Gang in a Caloocan City shopping mall last month, where a security guard was killed and three shoppers wounded, has been ordered padlocked by the city government on the grounds that it has become a great security risk to the shopping public.

Police authorities, who would not be named, disclosed that reports they received showed the Seiko Jewel Square at the second floor of the Gotesco Grand Central shopping mall in Monumento has been robbed three times in the last three years and has posed a great danger to lives and property.

On orders of Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo, City Administrator Mamerto Manahan and Caloocan City police Intelligence and Investigation chief Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo handed the closure order to the jewelry store owners.

"Having been robbed three times in a row is something that the city government and the local police cannot just ignore citing the security risk it poses to the shoppers," Borromeo said.

Manahan said Malonzo’s order was finalized during the emergency meeting of the local Peace and Order Council (POC) headed by Malonzo and city police chief Senior Superintendent Benjardi Mantele held at the city hall’s Bulwagang Katipunan.

According to Borromeo, the closure was recommended by the local police after the third robbery incident since 1999.

"To be robbed three times in a row has raised some questions on its continued operation, prompting us to recommend its closure. We are grateful the city government acted upon it quickly," Borromeo said.

Borromeo cited the security of thousands of shoppers who frequent the mall, which is the biggest in the city.– Jerry Botial