P1.5M in cash, gems taken Burglars use rooftop to get inside store

CEBU, Philippines - An estimated P1.6 million in cash, jewelry and gadgets were lost in two separate burglaries in Mandaue City last Monday.

The first incident took place in U-Well Marketing along A. Del Rosario Street in Barangay Mantuyong which reportedly lost P1.5 million worth of cash and jewelry to robbers who gained entrance through the rooftop.

Police said the suspects forcibly opened the metal sheet and the ceiling of the merchandise store.

According to Rodulfo Casinillo, store manager, he was surprised when he entered their office on Monday after discovering that their office was apparently ransacked and in disarray. The office was located on the third floor of the establishment.

The suspects, police said, were also able to open the steel cabinet and vault where an estimated P1.5 million in cash and jewelry were allegedly kept.

It was believed the suspects exited through the back door of the third floor near the room of Yu Sang, 51, married and a native of Xiamen, China. He is temporarily leasing in the said establishment.

At the crime scene, police were also able to discover a rope being tied to a beam going to the rooftop as the police found two crow bars and one hammer and paint being returned with scratches at the display area located on the third floor.

Police believed that these tools were used by the suspects in opening the vault and the steel cabinet.

Senior Police Officer Marcos Noval Jr. of the Investigative Detection and Management Board said the police are set to dig deeper on the incident.

Upon learning that the cash lost were earnings over the whole week, the police were left puzzled why the management failed to deposit such amount considering the many banking institutions nearby.

Unattended

In a separate incident, Jimmy Ang, owner of Catalina Sandals based in Barangay Canduman, reported to the Canduman Police Station that his house was also burglarized when it was left unattended on Monday.

Ang reported to the police around 5:20 p.m.  that the front door of his house was forcibly opened by unknown suspects who carted away P77,000 worth of cash, jewelry and gadgets.

He claimed he lost P30,000 worth of assorted jewelry, P2,000 cash, a watch worth P8,200, a laptop valued at P25,000 and phone worth P12,000.

Police are now conducting a follow-up operation for the possible identity and arrest of the suspects. (FREEMAN)