‘Bomb squad’ robs Uniwide in Laguna of P4.5 M

Ten heavily armed men, who passed themselves off as police bomb experts, robbed the Uniwide Sales Warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna Sunday night, carting away P4.5 million in cash.

The robbers also divested the warehouse’s security personnel of their firearms, and employees of their jewelry.

The robbers struck just as the establishment was closing after a whole-day sale.

Chief Superintendent Nestorio Gualberto, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director, said the robbers, clad in fatigue uniforms and armed with M-16 rifles, arrived at about 9 p.m. and introduced themselves as members of the police bomb squad responding to a call for assistance.

On the pretext of looking for the supposed bomb, they were able to enter freely. But once inside, they cornered store manager Cora Tomas and vault custodian Olive Flores, and at gunpoint, forced them to open the vault.

The Ilonggo-speaking robbers fled aboard a red Nissan Sentra and other unlicensed vehicles. — Jaime Laude, Rene Alviar