LGUs asked: Be strict about releasing pawnshops' floor plans

MANILA, Philippines - The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) asked local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila yesterday to be strict about releasing copies of pawnshops’ floor plans.

These documents can be easily secured at city and municipal engineering offices after paying a fee, NCRPO chief Director Alan Purisima said.

He pointed out that these floor plans are helping members of the Acetylene Gang, reportedly Igorot engineers and miners who rob banks and pawnshops by digging a tunnel leading to these establishments.

“There’s no need for employees of engineering offices to be in cahoots with the robbers because such document could be easily issued to them after payment of the necessary dues,” Purisima said in an interview.

He said the floor plans were among the items recovered at pawnshops that had been robbed.

The NCRPO wants LGUs to ask those applying for copies of floor plans for identification cards and other pertinent papers “so when the floor plan is recovered in a robbery it could guide us to the suspects.”