Store owners lost P300K to robbers

FOUR robbers ran away with more than P300,000 cash from sarisari store owners in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Balamban, Cebu last Sunday night.

Balamban police have leads on the identities of the perpetrators, whom they described as local boys, said chief investigator SPO1 Jose Villarino.

The robbery took place at 8:45 p.m. after Jasmin Francis was picked up by her husband Emelito at the public market after closing their store.

They were on their way home on a motorcycle with no idea a group of robbers were waiting for them.

Two of the armed robbers ran after the couple and snatched Jasmin’s red sling bag. Emelito lost control of the motorcycle until it fell on its side.

The two robbers joined their companions and fled towards the Transcentral Highway on separate motorcycles.

The bag contained more than P300,000 cash from the store’s weekend earnings. The couple was supposed to deposit the money to the bank today, Villarino said.

One of the couple’s helpers ran after the robbers, who shot him but missed.

Motorcycle

He said he saw two other men, also on a motorcycle, joining the robbers.

“Amo sad gitanaw kon apil pud ni sila (We are looking for their participation in the crime),” Villarino said.

Police failed to look for the robbers in their houses during a follow-up operation.

The couple described the two robbers who took Jasmin’s bag as of medium build, at least 5’4” and wearing black jackets.

Villarino said they will check if there are security cameras near the crime scene.

He said the robbers looked like they had been monitoring the couple’s routine at the store.