Police reminds public to be cautious of robbers

Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark Gifter Sucalit, deputy director for operations of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — An official of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) said that they have not monitored group of robbers in the province but they are still urging the public to be cautious.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark Gifter Sucalit, deputy provincial director of the CPPO, said this following the robbery incident that transpired in Barangay Poblacion in Alcantara town in southwestern Cebu on Christmas Day, December 25, 2022.

Sucalit assured that the robbery in Alcantara is an isolated case.

Leonides Zamora, 50, is still locked up at the detention cell of the Alcantara Police Station. Zamora, armed with still unidentified firearm, arrived in a gasoline station and pointed his gun and threatened the cashier and the on-duty pump boy.

He took nearly P45,000 cash.

“Prior sa panghitabo, we have not received information nga naay grupo though we are not discounting pod nga naay wala nato mahagip kay katong kasoha (Alcantara), isolated case to,” Sucalit said.

Sucalit added that they will still conduct deeper investigation about the background of the suspect, considering that authorities confiscated six loose firearms from his possession when he was arrested inside his house in Barangay Poblacion on the same day. These included a 9 mm pistol and .438 caliber revolver.

“Daghang armas atoang nakuha so naay possibility nga gigamit sa ubang krimen though ang information nga na receive nato is pang personal accordingly but unlicensed lahat,” he added.

READ: Alcantara: Man, who robbed gasoline station on Christmas Day, nabbed

Sucalit said that they also recorded some robbery incidents, other than in Alcantara, for December alone. He could not provide figures as of this posting.

However, Sucalit said that they did not notice patterns that could link these illegal activities to one operating group of criminals.

Sucalit added that they are also not discounting chances that there are also individuals or groups of individuals from outside the province who will take advantage with the holiday season.

“Based on historical records, naa gyud tay muagi sa atoang area para muhimo og petty crimes such as laslas ug uban, like mo swindle, pickpocket sa tao nga lugar,” Sucalit said.

With this, Sucalit is reminding the public to be cautious of all their valuable items, especially when they are in public areas. With the holiday season, Sucalit also encourages everyone to lock their houses. If they have security cameras, make sure that these are operational.

/bmjo