Burglars hit coffee shop while guard was ‘asleep’

CEBU, Philippines - Two men reportedly broke into the Coffee Bean Scent, a coffee shop  along General Maxilom Avenue early Tuesday, taking with them cash and gadgets. 

Police investigators said Alberto Alcuizar, the security guard of the establishment who claimed to have fallen asleep during the burglary, might have something to do with the burglary.

According to the police, two unidentified persons riding a motorcycle stopped near the coffee shop at 5:10 a.m.  on Tuesday.

A closed circuit television camera captured the robbers alighting from the motorcycle and proceeding to the back door of the establishment.

The two then destroyed the doorknob using a flat screw driver and entered the establishment.

Once inside, one of the thieves went directly to the drawer and destroyed it, taking with him P120,000, which was the store’s proceeds.

The other burglar took two laptop computers worth P100,000 before they fled away.

Chief Inspector Wildemar Tiu, Fuente Police Station chief, said the burglars appeared to have a contact at the establishment because they knew that there was money inside the drawer.

Alcuizar of Cebu Niño Security Agency, who was supposedly manning the store, claimed that he fell asleep and did not notice the burglary.

The security guard was subjected to a polygraph test by the National Bureau of Investigation after the management of the coffee shop asked for their assistance.

Crime Scene Investigation operatives led by Senior Police Officer 1 Fredilson Codilla went to the area and were able to retrieve latent prints of the robbers.

Tiu said they already have a lead, which may possibly reveal the identity of the suspects.

He said the CCTV footage was apparently blurred but they will find a way to have it enhanced. — (FREEMAN)