Sunday, July 15, 2007 Veggie traders warned v. highway hold-up group
VEGETABLE traders were warned to be cautious when stopping in car wash areas and restaurants to be spared from highway robbery.
Benguet Police Provincial Deputy Director Ernesto Gaab advised truckers and traders to take precautions when dropping by car wash areas and restaurants along national highways, saying unscrupulous groups do not spare main thoroughfares from implementing their illegal activities.
Gaab made the call after still unidentified men robbed a vegetable delivery truck recently.
"Those coming from Metro Manila and lowlands should be extra careful because there is an organized group conducting hold-up along the highway," he said.
He said robbers are after delivery trucks coming from the lowlands as they are expected to carry with them cash from trading their goods.
On Sunday, a delivery truck, driven by Renato Banlawe, who was with two other helpers, was robbed at gunpoint along Kennon Road in Tuba.
Tuba police investigators said the victims came from Manila after delivering assorted kinds of vegetables.
On their way back to Baguio City, they stopped at Camp 4, Kennon Road, particularly in front of LJ store and watering station, to wash their truck.
While they were parked, two unidentified men approached them and one of them pointed a stainless pistol at the victims and announced the heist.
The robbers took away P150,000 from the victims and sped off towards Baguio using an FX taxi cab with unknown plate number that was parked about 300 meters away from the crime scene. (JC)
