Antipolo bank loses P10-M to 5 robbers

Where were the cops?

Three of five armed men sneaked yesterday into the Security Bank branch in Antipolo City, emptied its vaults and teller booths of cash estimated at P10 million and after 50 minutes, escaped unnoticed despite the employees activating the bank’s security system.

Police ruled out the theory that the bank robbery was meant to embarrass President Arroyo, whose convoy was then passing in nearby Marikina City on her way to Bulacan.

Witnesses said three of the robbers, armed with caliber .38 revolvers, joined employees and two security guards in entering the bank in Barangay Masinag at about 8:20 a.m. Two of their companions served as lookouts outside the bank.

The bank is located some 50 meters away from the Antipolo City police sub-station 1.

SPO2 Rizaldy Cielos said the robbers, at gunpoint, announced the heist and ordered the four bank tellers and security guards to lie face down on the floor.

The bank’s glass doors and windows are heavily tinted, preventing passersby from seeing what is happening inside, police said.

A depositor, Dante Reyes, entered the bank and was surprised to see all the people inside lying down on the floor. One of the suspects pointed his gun at him and ordered him to join the others.

Witnesses said the robbers then took out four duffel bags and scooped up the cash from the bank’s vault and teller booths. Only two duffel bags though were filled up with the money estimated at P10 million.

The bank’s management, however, refused to say how much the robbers carted away, saying they were still conducting an inventory.

The robbers made good their escape at about 9:10 a.m. Police are still searching for witnesses to determine whether the robbers fled on foot or aboard a getaway vehicle.

Police records showed that the bank’s alarm was activated at about 8:30 a.m., or 10 minutes after the robbers entered the bank. The alarm system is connected to the police sub-station.

However, the robbers had long been gone when the responding policemen arrived. The police sub-station chief, Superintendent Mario Lico, could not be reached for comment because he was in a closed-door meeting with Antipolo City police chief Superintendent Jose Dayco.