Moneychanger loses P1-M to thieves

CEBU CITY — For a mere $3, a moneychanger along Junquera Street lost P1 million to two armed robbers.

Cashiers of H and N Money Changer were tallying the day’s collection at about 5:30 p.m. yesterday when a man approached their window to have $3 changed. H and N is jointly owned by sisters Helen Banzon and Nimfa Soco.

Soco was about to take over the booth as her cashier was ready to go home when the man asked that his $3 be changed. Seeing a bill slightly torn, Soco returned the bills to the man. But even before she could talk, the man held a .45 pistol in his hand and threatened to shoot her.

Soco pleaded for her life as the man went inside passing through a small door just below the cashier’s window. He took P100,000 from the cashier’s booth.

Meanwhile the cashier, Joy Flores, was counting the cash at the back-end of the room not knowing that a heist was going on until the man announced a hold up. Startled, Flores threw the bills on the floor. It only took 10 minutes for the man to pick up and gather the bills amounting to some P850,000.

While the women shouted for help from the building security, the guard could not respond as he was reportedly fixing the building’s lights. - Freeman News Service