Cops, citizens foil P5-M pawnshop rob attempt

DUMAGUETE CITY—Combined police teams, aided by citizen patrollers and a vigilant populace, foiled Saturday’s P5-million robbery of Agencia Belen pawnshop, with the arrest of a suspect and the recovery of the stolen jewelry.

Six robbers, including a woman, entered the pawnshop’s Perdices Street branch at around 9 a.m., disarmed the security guard, as well as the security guard of the neighboring Cebuana Lhuillier pawnshop, and robbed the pawnshop of jewelry.

The perpetrators, who did not bother to wear any masks or disguises, went out of the pawnshop and joined three waiting drivers on motorcycles, bringing with them the bags of jewelry.

The robbers sped toward Barangay (village) Tinago, where they boarded a black Toyota Revo with plate number XHE 793 and escaped northward.

But concerned citizens sent text messages to radio stations to inform the police of a gray or black Revo speeding north along Piapi Beach.

The robbers managed to reach the town of Sibulan, where they decided to turn back and later abandon their vehicle. Alex Rey Pal, Inquirer Visayas