7 men rob Batangas bakeshop, tie up security guard

LIPA, Batangas — Seven men broke into a bakeshop and restaurant branch and tied up a sleeping security guard early Tuesday in this city.

CCTV footage showed the suspects arriving at around 1:48 a.m. aboard a tuktuk. 

Footage from inside the establishment along JP Laurel Highway in Barangay Sabang showed the men suddenly surrounding and attacking the guard, who was asleep on a sofa.

The guard tried to resist but was overpowered. The suspects tied his hands and feet and blindfolded him.

They also took his 9mm pistol and cellphone.

The suspects fled with a vault containing some P200,000 in sales proceeds from the bakeshop.

Investigators said the suspects gained entry by breaking the lock on the establishment’s main door.

CCTV footage captured the suspects fleeing shortly after 2 a.m. Investigators spotted the name of the tuk-tuk’s registered operator on the vehicle, allowing them to trace it to Tondo, Manila.

A hot pursuit operation led to the arrest of two suspects along Bambang Street in Tondo and in Parola, Binondo, Manila.

“Meron siyang markings at meron siyang body number. ‘Yong pangalan ng operator nila, ‘yong brand ng kanilang minamaneho, ay nago-operate lang sa Tondo, Manila. At doon natin na-trace at positively identified ‘yong mga arrested suspects natin ng security guard,” said PLtCol. Aleli Buaquen, chief of the Lipa City Police Station.

Authorities also recovered the tuktuk used in the robbery.

One of the suspects, identified only as alias Kevin, claimed he was driving the tuk-tuk for hire when he was asked to transport the group to Lipa City to collect cooking oil. He said he agreed because he was promised immediate payment of his boundary fee, claiming he did not know the group intended to commit robbery.

“Siyempre po, agad po akong pumayag dahil panalo po agad ako doon eh. Kita na po agad ako doon eh. Ta’s noong pagdating po namin diyan, sabi nila drum-drum daw ng mantika ang kukunin namin. Nagulat po ako. Eh, ando’n na po ako. Wala na rin po akong magagawa eh. Kumbaga, nasabay na rin po sa kanila,” the driver said.

In a separate follow-up operation, police tracked down two more suspects at a hotel along Recto Avenue in Manila, where they were reportedly discussing how to spend the stolen money.

Buaquen said the suspects were known to authorities for their alleged involvement in previous criminal activities.

“Ang age range nila mga 20s lang. Mga grupo ito ng magnanakaw at upon checking with the MPD, ay nasangkot na rin sila sa maraming crime incidents tulad ng pagnanakaw at droga,” she added.

Investigators found that the suspects were allegedly behind robberies at branches of a fast-food restaurant in Tarlac City in July and Tagaytay City on Oct. 27. 

“Ang modus nila ay magkakagrupo sila tapos mag-iikot sila from Manila. Babiyahe sila sa Calabarzon at by chance magtitingin sila ng mga establishments na pwede nilang pasukin,” Buaquen said.

The four arrested suspects have been charged with robbery, while police continue to hunt down the three other members of the group.