QC trader loses P1 million in cash, valuables to robbers

MANILA, Philippines–Armed men broke  into the house of a construction supply company owner in Quezon City  early  Thursday morning  and took with them P1 million in cash and valuables after tying up their victims.

Police records showed that the robbery  was the second break-in involving armed men in more than a week in the city.

Chief Insp. Ariel Capocao, Quezon City Police District deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit,  said the suspects broke into the house of Rosita Lim, 44, and at gun point tied    her down and   her family before they  robbed them of cash and  jewelry.

Capocao said the robbers were able to enter  Lim’s house when one of her nephews opened the front gate as he was about to leave for school at around 6:15 a.m.

Lim told police that she lost around P800,000 worth of assorted pieces of jewelry, wrist watches valued at  P157,000, a licensed .38 caliber handgun, P15,000 in cash, six mobile phones and various identification cards.

She added that eight men were involved in the robbery and all were armed with handguns.

Her nephew was also dragged back into the house by the robbers, she added.

Together with members of her household staff, Lim  and her  family were rounded up and brought    to the   master’s bedroom.

After they  were hogtied, the suspects ransacked the house for valuables.

The suspects later  fled on board an FX vehicle and were seen headed towards C-5 Road.

Last week, seven  armed men who posed as antidrug operatives barged into a  house also in Quezon City and briefly held hostage two women.

They took off with  more than P100,000 in  cash and valuables.