CEBU, Philippines - Taking the chance while the security guard was asleep, a lone robber preyed on a gasoline station in Barangay Taytayan, Bogo City yesterday dawn.
Few hours later in Barangay San Antonio, Cebu City, three men also robbed a jewelry shop and carted away more or less P100,000 worth of valuables.
At about 3 a.m. in Bogo City, a motorcycle-riding robber struck Madel Petron Gasoline Station owned by Edelberto Delao.
PO3 Allan Dosdos of Bogo City Police Station said the robber drove towards the gas station and requested Demar Maitom, 21, the lone pump boy, who also served as the cashier that time, to fill up his motorcycle with gas worth P50.
Maitom, a resident of Barangay Argawanon, San Remegio town, complied.
After having his motorcycle gas tank filled, the man, instead of paying, pulled out a gun from his waist and pointed it to the pump boy declaring a hold up.
The suspect demanded for cash, to which the victim immediately heeded because of fear. Maitom took out from his pocket the P2,900 and some coins which was their income for the night.
The robber then sped off towards Cebu City.
The pump boy failed to take note of the plate number of the suspect’s vehicle as he hurriedly approached security guard Jonrey Velez, who was allegedly sleeping on his seat at the gas station’s vicinity when the robbery took place.
Velez then accompanied the pump boy to the police station to have the incident recorded in the police blotter.
Dosdos said they have already reminded all the gas stations in their jurisdiction to beef up their respective security measures in light with the series of robbery incidents involving gas stations here in Cebu City.
In fact, they told the management of Madel Petron Gasoline Station a few days prior to the robbery to install bright lights in their establishment as the location of the gas station is dimly lit.
Meanwhile, three men struck J & A Jewelry Wholesale 4U along Junquera Extension, Barangay San Antonio, Cebu City past 9 a.m. yesterday.
The establishment, which is owned by American national Art Borroughs, has no security guard and was only manned by one person when the robbery happened.
One of the robbers has been frequenting the jewelry shop for almost a month already and pretending as a customer, co-owner Jujiza Tingal, who was still on her way to the shop when the robbery happened, said.
“Sige gyud siya og balik-balik diri, magsige og pili-pili. Dugay kayo mahuman, saputon na gani mi. Ming-ingon gani ‘to nga ay lang kabalaka, Miss, kay mupalit lagi ko. Sagdihi lang ko kung mag-pili-pili ko,” Tingal said, quoting the man as saying.
She described the suspect as good-looking, slim, and looked like a drug addict.
Blessa Tingal, Jujiza’s sister-in-law, was the only person manning the establishment when the robber went inside and pointed a revolver on her head. Her male companion was eating that time.
Blessa let the suspect gathered the jewelry items including several necklaces and bracelets, when he threatened to shot her head if she shouts.
The robber did not take all the items and hastily approached his companion, who served as look-out and together boarded a waiting motorcycle driven by another man, believed to be their cohort.
Chief Insp. Bonifacio Garciano, chief of Theft and Robbery Section, who was one of those who responded to the crime scene, surmised the suspects behind the incident are “local boys” and are just residing near the place.
“Considering nga nag-balik-balik na sila og tan-aw diri, nya naa pa’y kausa nga pag-anhi niya, naa’y mingsinggit sa iyaha nga ‘Ali diri kay gitawag ka sa imong mama’ (according to Jujiza),” Garciano said.
The TRS chief advised all establishment owners to be extra cautious with regards to their security measures as robbers may strike anytime.
Garciano has also tasked police station commanders to tap their beat patrols to go on roving, especially today during Manny Pacquiao’s fight. —WAB (FREEMAN)