MANILA, Philippines - Five robbers armed with guns and hammers robbed a jewelry store at Farmers Plaza in Cubao, Quezon City minutes before the mall opened yesterday, carting away pieces of jewelry worth around P2 million.
Police said some of the suspects could have been wounded after security guards at the Araneta Center and a patrolling policeman fired shots at the fleeing suspects on motorcycles.
“The motorcycles of the suspects almost tripped as they fled toward the direction of EDSA,†Superintendent Ramon Pranada, commander of the Quezon City Police District Station 7, said in an interview.
The suspects robbed First Allied Emporium Jewelry located at the mall’s ground floor at 9:45 a.m., according to Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana, QCPD deputy director for operations.
Inspector Alan dela Cruz, head of the theft and robbery investigation section of QCPD, said five men perpetrated the robbery.
Employees told investigators that the shop had just opened when three of the suspects struck. The jewelry store opened ahead of the mall.
At gunpoint, the suspects declared the heist and smashed the glass display cases. Two other suspects on motorcycles waited for their cohorts to get out with the loot.
Pranada said security guards of Araneta Center and Police Officer 1 Leo Damo, who was patrolling the area, fired at the fleeing suspects.
The jewelry shop was temporarily closed, police said.
“Our mall security is fully cooperating with the authorities to resolve the case,†the Araneta Center said in a statement.
“We will be enforcing security measures to avoid further incident,†it said.