The alarm system was left unplugged, the vault’s combination locks were open, and the branch manager could not be found.
Noting these signs of an inside job, the Malabon City police have launched a manhunt for a pawnshop manager on suspicions that he helped robbers take about P1.7 million worth of cash, jewelry and other valuables from his own establishment.
Charges of qualified theft were filed against Diosdado Gallogo, branch manager of Tambunting Pawnshop at the corner of MH Del Pilar and Rodriguez Streets, Barangay (village) Santulan, according to Inspector Marissa Santos of the Malabon police, in a report to the Northern Police District headquarters.
Gallogo, described in the report as the branch manager since 1998 and a resident of Salambao Street, Wawang Pulo, Valenzuela City, had been missing since Aug. 26, the day the robbery was discovered.
Police records showed that Gallogo sent a text message to the operations managers of Tambunting, telling them about the robbery around 7:30 a.m. that day. But when the other managers and the pawnshop employees arrived at the store around 9 a.m., Gallogo was not there and could not be reached on his phone.
According to the pawnshop auditor, stolen from the vault were 251 pieces of jewelry worth P1.18 million, seven assorted gadgets worth P14,000 and cash in different currencies worth P540,205.
Investigators noted that the padlocks of the shutters, doors and vault were cut using an acetylene torch. The shop’s alarm device was also unplugged.
But they also observed that the vault’s combination locks “were easily opened.”
The employees said Gallogo “was the only one who kept the keys and knew the combination,” according to Santos’ report.
Police later searched for Gallogo at his two known addresses in Valenzuela and Caloocan cities, but failed to find him.