CABANATUAN CITY — Carting away a vault with a mobile phone equipped with GPS inside proved a dumb idea for a group of robbers from Metro Manila.
Seven of the 10 suspects were caught red-handed while still trying to open the vault in their hideout in Greater Lagro, Novaliches, Quezon City at around 2 p.m. Jan 12, hours after the robbery that transpired in Barangay Dampulan, Jaen, Nueva Ecija at 4:30 a.m.
Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office director Col. Heryl Bruno said the GPS and CCTV footages which reportedly showed the license plate of an L300 van helped tracked the location of the suspects, including a woman, who are aged 27 to 61 and mostly residents of Quezon City.
“The suspects forcibly entered the store by destroying the roll-up door and carted away the vault with P82,000 in three days of sales,” Bruno said. The suspects also tool several items, including bottles of alcoholic drinks and cigarettes amounting to P12,000.
Recovered from the suspects were one Mitsubishi L300 van bearing plate number NHG 9689, a semi-automatic 9mm pistol with ammunitions, a 12-gauge shotgun ammunitions, plastic sachets containing undetermined amount of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia.
Operatives also recovered the safety vault containing undetermined cash, and things used in the heist.
The suspects turned out to be involved in a series of robbery in Central Luzon and National Capital Region such as Jollibee in Paniqui, Tarlac; Mang Inasal in Sta. Maria, and KFC in Guiguinto, both in Bulacan; two gas stations in Quezon City; Mang Inasal in Apalit, Pampanga; gas station and a convenience store in Gerona, Tarlac; gas stations in Tagaytay and Trese Martires, Cavite, among others from 2025 to 2026.
The arrested suspects were brought to Jaen MPS, for proper disposition and filing of charges for Robbery in Band and violation of RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).
Jaen Mayor Sylvester Austria lauded the police for the immediate arrest of the suspects saying it serves as a warning to would-be criminals.
He noted that business is currently booming in their town owing to sound peace and order.
“Actually, nakakatuwa ho at ang krimen ay naresolba po nang wala pang beinte cuatro oras,” Austria said.
Meanwhile, police are still running after the three other suspects.
