Bank burglars identified

Police have identified all seven suspects in the Prudential Bank heist in Sampaloc, Manila and vowed to arrest them as soon as possible.

"We have their names. It is only a matter of time before they are arrested. Their world is getting smaller," said Western Police District-Theft and Robbery Section head Chief Inspector Benjamin Reyes.

He added that the number of police operatives had been fanned out to a Northern Luzon province, where the suspects are reportedly hiding.

Reyes said they established the identities of the suspects from several witnesses, including the staff of the Souvenir Lodge inn, where the suspects rented six rooms before pulling off the heist.

"We have established their every movement inside the inn, and we were able to get their detailed descriptions from the staff. We are positive of this group’s involvement in the bank heist," he said.

Reyes also clarified that seven suspects pulled off the heist and not six as mentioned in earlier reports. "The seventh suspect served as the gang’s driver. He did not occupy a room, but stayed inside the vehicle parked outside," Reyes said.

However, he refused to reveal the identities of the suspects so as not to jeopardize operations.

The suspects broke into the Prudential Bank branch in Sampaloc last Thursday night by boring a hole in their rented room and passing through the roof of the bank.

The enterprising thieves cut the electricity of the bank and created an opening in the vault’s door with the use of an acetylene torch. Bank officials said some P1 million worth of cash and jewelry were taken by the suspects. — Nestor Etolle