MEMBERS of "bukas-kotse" gang reportedly strikes again after three incidents of robbery were reported to police authorities on Thursday in separate areas in the city.
Julius Caezar Baltazar, a resident of Valencia City in Bukidnon, first reported to Police Station 4 (PS4) in Carmen that his Mitsubishi Strada with plate number ZTD-582 parked in the area was forcibly opened by unidentified suspects on Thursday at 10:20 a.m.
Taken from him are his laptop worth P36,000 and a hard drive worth more than P9,000.
Baltazar said his things were in disarray when he entered the vehicle.
Also Carlos Sevilla, a resident of Tibanga in Iligan City, reported to Police Station 3 (PS3) in Agora after his Toyota Innova bearing plate number KDB-421 was also forcibly opened by unidentified suspects on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. while parked outside Capitol University Medical Center in Barangay Gusa.
Sevilla said the suspects smashed the right side of the vehicle's window and took his two bags with post dated checks and other personal items.
Another victim, Marissa Idol, 38, married and a resident of 128 Emerald St., Gusa, this city, reported to PS3 after her van, bearing plate number JCH-230, was ransacked by still unidentified suspects and took some of her personal things worth P4,500 on Thursday afternoon.
Police Inspector Wilyn Rojo, chief of PS3, said the members of "bukas-kotse" gang often try to look inside the vehicles and look for expensive things before forcibly opening the door.
He said some members often act as lookouts while the robbery took place.
Rojo said these cases are now being investigated by police authorities as he called on owners to refrain from leaving expensive items inside their vehicles and make sure that the cars' doors are locked.
Last month, at least three incidents involving car thefts also occurred in separate areas in the city in one day.