At large J Centre Mall robbers still nowhere to be found

The five arrested suspects in the  J Centre Mall robbery in October 2019 remain in police custody as they claim they don’t  have the money to pay for their bail set at P100,000 each. | CDND File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The four at large suspects involved in the robbery inside J Centre Mall in Mandaue City last October 19, 2019 are still nowhere to the found despite  efforts by the police to locate them.

Police Colonel Jonathan Abella, chief of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), told CDN Digital that their monitoring were still continuous but they were having a hard time locating these men especially since they have with them a large amount of money and jewelry worth millions of pesos that would help them while they are hiding.

In the previous reports, at least P130 million worth of jewelry and P6 million in cash were believed have been stuffed inside a black bag that was allegedly in the possession of the four other at large men, identified only as Ryan, Mark, Tony Boy, and Ranger.

“Mag isolate gyud na sila kay dako-dako gyud to nga amount (They have been able to isolate themselves since they have a big amount with them),” said Abella.

Read more: Police looking for remaining suspects in mall heist

The four suspects eluded arrest while their five other cohorts were arrested in Bogo City in northern Cebu, hours after they robbed a jewelry and other stores inside J Centre Mall.

Their three other cohorts were killed in the process of the arrest.

Read more: Rob group leader among four killed; five others arrested in Bogo, Sogod

Abella suspected that the four at large suspects might have been able to come in and out of Cebu to sneak out their stolen goods in small quantities, as it would be easier for the suspects to travel in and out when they only bring with a piece or two of the stolen items.

However, Abella this possibility is still being verified as the police have been closely coordinating with the Philippine Coast Guard and the port police and there has been no sightings of the four suspects so far.

But Abella assured there is no let up in their search for the four suspects as well as in their investigation to determine what crime gang masterminded the mall heist. /elb