Robbers strike at call center in Rizal town - report

MANILA, Philippines - At least 10 men with high-powered firearms struck before dawn Monday, robbing 16 agents of a call center in Cainta in Rizal province and escaping in two vehicles with government (red) plates. Radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported that the heist, which was done in eight minutes, occurred at the TeleTech call center at the Robinson's mall compound in Cainta Junction past 2 a.m. Police said they are looking into a "similar" robbery at the Cherry Foodarama in Antipolo City earlier this year, when robbers quickly disarmed the security guards. Investigator on case PO1 Efren Raginan said the armed men did not enter the mall itself but went to the area outside TeleTech where call center agents were taking a break. He said the robbers surprised the mall's security guards, disarmed them, and proceeded to the call center where they held up the call center agents. After taking the cell phones, money and wallets of the agents, the men escaped aboard an avocado-green Kia Carnival van with plate number SEV-987. Follow-up interviews with guards showed a second getaway vehicle, a maroon FX-type vehicle (SRB-588), was used in the heist. Police are now tracing the plate number to see if the plates were stolen or forged. They said the government plates may have been used to gain entry to the mall compound. - GMANews.TV