Police identify leader in SM Bicutan jewelry heist

Police have already identified the suspected leader and a member of the robbery group that attacked a jewelry store at SM Bicutan in Parañaque City last Sunday. In a phone interview, Parañaque police chief Senior Superintendent Alfredo Valdez told GMANews.TV that police operatives are keeping watch on the hideout of the suspects. “May follow-up operation kami ngayon. Dalawang suspect na yung na-identify. Naka-poste na yung mga police sa area," he said. The leader of last Sunday’s heist was a former member of another robbery gang, Valdez said, adding the suspect has pending arrest warrant due to a similar case. Valdez asked that the names of the suspects be withheld so as not to jeopardize police operation. Four suspected robbers attacked the Oro China Jewelry Shop on the third floor of the SM Bicutan last Sunday, and that there were two more people who served as lookouts and diverted the attention of the police and security personnel by setting off a grenade, Valdez said. "Apat ang nakita sa CCTV, dalawa sa mga suspek ang bumasag sa salamin gamit ang martilyo, dalawa yung dumakot ng mga alahas. Sa labas naman, malapit sa elevator, may naghagis ng granada na bumagsak sa first floor," he said. At least six people sustained injuries from the grenade blast. Valdez added the suspects used the grenade explosion to create chaos, enabling them to blend easily with the crowd scampering for the exits. “Nag-focus yung mga pulis sa narinig na pagsabog kaya hindi agad nahabol yung mga suspects. Natataranta ang lahat ng tao kaya hindi na malaman ng mga pulis kung sino ang dapat nilang habulin," he said. He said mall management kept the doors open to avoid a stampede. The responding policemen stationed near a bank outside the mall also had a hard time getting inside as the bank was already closed. “Kailangan pa nilang umikot para makapasok," he said. Valdez said the suspects went down to the second level of the mall and exited the door leading to the South Luzon Expressway. The suspects carried no bags and firearms, except the grenade, and escaped on foot. “Wala silang sasakyan, tumakbo sila na nasa kamay lang yung mga alahas," said Valdez. Asked if the police are suspecting an inside job, he said they are not discounting the possibility, but they are also looking into the laxity of the security personnel in performing their job. “Ang tingin namin hindi malayo na may kasama sa loob pero kung wala naman ay siguro naging relax yung mga guards sa pag-iinspect ng bags," he said. He welcomed the plan of the National Capital Region Police Office to ask mall owners to install x-ray machines in their establishments. [See: Cops eyeing use of x-ray machines for better mall security] “Maganda yun dahil very controllable ang situation pero mahal nga lang," he said. He added the metal detector is not a reliable instrument as almost all people have metals on their bodies or bags. “Ang metal detector naman tumutunog kahit sa cellphone o susi," Valdez said. — LBG/KBK/HS, GMANews.TV