BATAC CITY, May 2–Supt. Marlon Paiste, city police chief, reported that alleged members of the Bolt Cutter Gang were the suspects who robbed a pawnshop & remittance center located near the police station here last Friday, April 28.
He said that based on the abandoned assorted tools which were found at the crime scene, the suspects may be members of the notorious “ Bolt-Cutter Gang” operating in Ilocos.
Investigation showed the suspects forcibly entered the establishment by digging an underground hole at the back of the pawnshop. They also drilled a hole at the shop’s concrete wall as their other entry point. While inside, they cut off the electrical connection of the CCTV camera and monitor.
Paiste told reporters that latest inventory showed that a total of 1,667 coins and assorted jewelry of undetermined value were looted by the suspects from the vault.
Earlier, employees said that about one million cash collections were kept in the vault but it was not confirmed by the management.
The pawnshop had not employed a 24-hour security guard despite the recommendation of the police during their routinary inspection, Paiste said,
The pawnshop had been operating since 2004, the report said.
Colonel Paiste said he is optimistic that they could solve soon this robbery case as they have already gathered some evidence on the identities of the suspects as provided by witnesses. (tsg)
