4 convenience store ‘robbers’ nabbed in Pampanga

The four robbery suspects and the tools, money, and items seized from them after a hot pursuit operation in Floridablanca town, Pampanga on Sunday, Oct. 20. (Pampanga Police Provincial Office photo)

MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga — Police arrested four men allegedly involved in the robbery of a convenience store in Floridablanca town in this province on Sunday, October 20.

The Pampanga police said in a statement that the Alfamart security monitoring team reported to authorities around 10:30 a.m. that its convenience store at Consuelo village was being robbed.

The information was immediately relayed to the Floridablanca police, which dispatched a team to verify the report.

“Responding immediately, police officers arrived at the scene and apprehended one of the suspects, identified as Tristan Bestoguey, who was caught in the act. His accomplices initially fled the scene,” it said.

Hot pursuit operations resulted in the arrest of Tom Nadnaden, Harold Saqueban, and Daniel Dave Egsaen in Porac, Pampanga, the police added.

Investigation showed that the suspects entered the establishment by forcefully destroying the steel backdoor.

READ: Cop-led robbery gang busted in Pampanga

The police allegedly confiscated a .45 caliber handgun loaded with five live bullets, a .38 caliber revolver with three live bullets, four hand grenades, P90,000 in cash, various grocery items, and hand tools. The white Toyota Fortuner (CCL 8293), allegedly used by two suspects as their getaway vehicle, was also impounded.

The suspects are facing charges of robbery and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

In a separate statement, the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) said the four suspects are residents of Baguio City and Mountain Province.

It said the convenience store was closed at the time of the robbery and that it was monitored by the company’s security team remotely.

The PRO3 said the four men are also suspects in the robbery of the Alfamart branches in Aliaga and San Jose City, both in Nueva Ecija.

PRO3 director Brigadier General Redrico Maranan said police offices in Central Luzon are going after crime groups and private armed groups as directed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla. INQ