Two persons of interest in the Colon Jewelry heist are arrested at a checkpoint in town in southern Cebu on Sunday evening, November 26. | Contributed photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two more ‘persons of interest,’ who were believed to have been involved in the daylight robbery of a pawnshop in Colon Street, have been arrested, police announced.
The two men were caught at a checkpoint in Sibonga town in southern Cebu on Monday dawn, November 27.
Around 4 a.m. on Monday, police in Sibonga town were conducting their regular checkpoints in town when one of them noticed an approaching red-colored sedan.
The car, a 2007 Honda Civic Habanero, also resembled the robbers’ getaway vehicle which was caught on multiple surveillance footage driving away from Cebu City after the heist last Saturday, November 25.
Instead of a registered plate number, the vehicle had an improvised one with the words ‘For Registration’ handwritten on it.
Police signaled the car to stop as it neared the checkpoint. However, the driver sped through and bumped the checkpoint signage. Fortunately, officers in a nearby patrol immediately blocked the sedan from speeding away.
Enforcers arrested the men after discovering several weapons, including high-powered firearms like a KG9 submachine gun, and two grenades in their car.
The arrest came roughly a day after police held two persons of interest (POI) in Mandaue City, whom they believed might also have information about Saturday’s robbery.
CCTV helped
Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), welcomed this development.
In a press conference on Monday, November 27, Dalogdog said the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras contributed greatly to tracing the identities of the suspects.
“Nagpasalamat gyud kaayo mi sa mga establishments, mga individuals nga ni-cooperate ug nagvolunteer og hatag ,” the police official told reporters.
(We thank the establishments, the individuals who cooperated and volunteered to help.)
Meanwhile, investigations continue to determine if the four individuals now under police custody are indeed involved in Saturday’s robbery.
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