MANILA, Philippines – Young members of a notorious criminal syndicate could be behind a daring bank robbery at a Banco de Oro (BDO) branch in SM Dasmariñas, Cavite on Monday, police said.
The robbers were in their 20s, said Senior Superintendent Danilo Maligalig, provincial director of the Cavite police.
“What is noticeable, relatively mga bata itong involved in yesterday's operation,” he said, adding that the suspects could be members of the Ampang-Colangco robbery group.
“Siguro mga bagitong rekrut nila (They could be the gang’s new recruits),” Maligalig said on Tuesday.
He added that police have information that the heist was led by a certain “Bogart,” a veteran member of the group and former right-hand man of the gang’s founder.
“We have gathered all the file pictures of its members. Crack teams of investigators went to SM Dasmarinas to interview (witnesses) and show these pictures,” he said.
Police believe that the gang used a female member to sneak in the guns used in the heist.
“We are also looking into the lapses of the security guards that morning. Kasi limang tao nakapasok na may baril, hindi nila na-check,” the Cavite police chief said.
A mall guard is also being investigated, according to police.
Maligalig said the unnamed guard, who was not disarmed by the robbers, acted suspiciously during the incident.
He said the robbery gang’s previous heists involved BDO branch and SM malls.
“Makikita niyo sa file nila…nakaugat sila diyan somewhere sa security involved (You can see in their file, some security officers are involved in the cases),” he added.
Police are now trying to locate the group’s safehouse in the province.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the management of SM Dasmariñas mall thanked police and local officials for acting "swiftly and decisively" on incident.
“(Police) have taken notes of the interviews they conducted with the mall security group and viewed and examined the CCTV yesterday,” the statement said.
ABS-CBN News sources said the gang stole around P8 million from the bank. Two security guards were also injured during the robbery. – with a report from Maan Macapagal, ABS-CBN News
Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com
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