Robbers steal P.4 M from Western Union branch in QC

A branch of a money transfer firm in Quezon City lost around P400,000 in cash over the weekend, allegedly to a couple who rented a room beside  the shop.

Tellers at the Western Union Money Transfer branch on Quirino Highway in Barangay Gulod, Novaliches discovered the loss of P227,307 and $3,980 Saturday morning, based on a report from the Quezon City Police District-Station 4.

The alleged culprits – Oliver and Jenny Maiden – had since abandoned their rented room and are currently at large.

Case investigator Police Officer Rolando Alieger Jr. said he discovered a big hole in the concrete wall adjacent to the room rented by the suspects.

The police said the shop was unattended from past 6 p.m. Friday until before 8 a.m. the next day, when the cash was discovered missing.

The tellers on duty Friday night claimed they turned on the alarm, which was triggered at past 9 p.m., but was apparently ignored.

When the tellers on duty the next day arrived, they discovered that the vault was forcibly opened and the articles inside it were already missing.

Police Officer 3 Arddie Manlongat, a desk officer at the QCPD-Station 4, added that investigation revealed the couple had started occupying the room only Wednesday last week.

“It appears that the couple had been gradually boring the hole on the concrete wall leading to the shop,” he told The STAR in an interview.