Cops have no lead yet on Kidapawan mall robbery

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Investigators have yet to get a lead on Sunday’s P1 million dawn heist at Kidapawan City’s biggest department store.

Kidapawan City’s police chief, Supt. Joseph Semillano, told reporters Friday that investigators are still gathering and validating information from workers of the Davao Central Warehouse to determine if insiders were behind the attack.

Semillano said even the establishment’s security guards are also being questioned by  investigators owing to the possibility that the robbery could be an “inside job” involving workers.

The burglars forced their way through by punching a big hole at the wall of the department store using construction tools and hydraulic automotive jacks at about midnight of January 12, according to Semillano.

“There was no sign of forcible entry into the manager’s office, where the suspects took about a million worth of cash,” Semillano said.

The burglars also carted away wristwatches and other valuables.

Semillano said the suspects also attempted to open an automated cash dispensing machine of a private bank inside the building.

“They failed to open the machine,” Semillano said.