‘Underwear bandits’ steal P2-M lingerie

Cheap underwear may flood the market soon after thieves stole P2 million worth of lingerie from a Triumph International branch on Taft Avenue in Manila, police said yesterday.

Senior Police Officer 2 Virgo Villareal said the thieves, whom police called “underwear bandits,” struck while the store was closed for the holidays. Two store helpers discovered the loss when they reported for work yesterday.

Villareal said the store’s padlock was destroyed after investigators found a bolt-cutter and a crowbar in the store.

Mara Cecilia Manaloto, who owns the store, told police that ladies’ underwear, shirts and pillows worth more than P2 million were taken by the suspects.

She said she personally closed the store at around 5 p.m. last Dec. 31. She then instructed her two helpers to sleep at the store on New Year’s Day. However, when the helpers arrived the store was already in disarray.

Villareal said no one noticed unusual in the vicinity of the store during the night.   – Nestor Etolle