‘Robber in yellow’ nabbed for LBC heists

He can still wear his favorite color—this time in the city jail.

A man from Barangay UP Campus in Quezon City was arrested Friday afternoon for allegedly pulling off a string of robberies targeting money courier service shops—always in a yellow long-sleeved shirt.

When caught, Ruel Herabas, 31, was wearing a surgical mask and had just robbed another outlet of LBC on Matalino Street in Barangay Central, also in Quezon City, police said.

Quezon City Police District director Chief Supt. Mario de la Vega said Herabas pretended to be a customer before robbing the shop of P1,651 around 5:30 p.m. Friday.

In the past robberies he allegedly perpetrated in other LBC branches, Herabas was always seen wearing a yellow long-sleeved shirt and carrying a black backpack, Dela Vega said.

He was again in that shirt and holding such a bag when arrested, the QCPD chief noted in a press conference on Saturday.

In the latest heist, the masked Herabas allegedly barged into the Matalino Street branch, pointed his .38-cal. revolver at the female employees, and forced them to give him the day’s collection.

But as he casually walked away from the shop with his loot, the employees were able to alert the Anonas and Kamuning police stations. A boy who witnessed the robbery also managed to seek help from authorities.

A responding police team caught up with the suspect at the corner of Marunong and Matatag Streets, also in Barangay Central.

De la Vega said Herabas yielded the stolen cash and the gun he used, and was later positively identified by witnesses as the same person who robbed at least four LBC branches in Quezon City.

The other branches were LBC Pantranco where the suspect allegedly took P6,094 in cash on Oct. 31; LBC Visayas Avenue where he took P13,973, a gold ring and two mobile phones on Nov. 11; and the ones in V. Luna and Del Monte.

The witnesses also cited footage from the shops’ closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) to pin down Herabas, the city police chief added.