NCRPO mulls banning sunglasses in malls

MANILA, Philippines - After regulating the purchase of tools and banning caps in malls, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is calling for a ban on wearing sunglasses in malls, an official said yesterday.

NCRPO chief Director Carmelo Valmoria said shoppers have no reason to wear sunglasses.

“There’s no glare in malls,” said Valmoria, who noted that pawnshops and similar establishments must also advise their clients not to wear caps and sunglasses while making transactions with them.

Valmoria earlier said hammers, crowbars and hardware tools bought in malls can be claimed from designated claim counters near mall exits.

The new regulations were imposed after robbers smashed display cases at two jewelry stalls in SM North EDSA on Dec. 8 with a crowbar bought at the same mall minutes earlier. The robbers had worn caps and sunglasses to prevent their identification.

Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II is considering setting a standard for the number of security guards in malls to prevent robberies.

“The standardization would be based on the floor area and the number of entrances and exits for security purposes,” he said in a statement.