2 downtown Cebu City stores lose P14 million jewelry to robbers

TWO jewelry stores situated in Labucay building on Calderon Street, Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, were robbed by six armed men at noon on Thursday, August 8, 2024.

The police said that Macy's Jewelry Store and DGC D' Gold Chain Jewelry Store had lost at least P10 million and P4 million worth of jewelry, respectively.

Based on the CCTV footage, three armed men stormed the Macy's Gold and Silver Jewelry store, grabbing numerous jewelry pieces from the racks. Three other bandits, also wearing helmets, entered the DGC D'Gold Chain Jewelry.

Customers and store employees were forced to lie on the ground.

In less than a minute, the theft was over.

The culprits fled toward Lincolon Street on three Honda XRM motorcycles.

A backrider was seen dismounting the motorcycle to retrieve his .45 pistol that fell on the road.

A jewelry cleaner known only as Shane claimed that one of the robbers was waiting outside, but he did not know him.

But he had noticed a revolver concealed around his waist, which had made him and the other sidewalk vendors run.

"Katong laki nga niagi sa among tungod ako pang gihagad nga mopalit og alahas uy 45 naman ang gikuot sa hawak, nag lumbaanay namig panagan," Shane said.

(I approached the man in front of me and asked him if he wanted to buy jewelry, but he pulled a .45 pistol from his waist, so we ran).

A 73-year-old cigarette vendor named Emelia Gonzaga said she was unable to identify the criminals because of fear.

She claimed to have just heard someone yell, "Drop to the ground," as they brandished high-powered firearms.

Chief Colonel Antonietto Cañete, the chief of the Cebu City Police Office, instructed his men to conduct the "Oplan Universe" right away, placing checkpoints around the city's main thoroughfares.

The Cebu Police Provincial Office also ordered all police stations in the province to set up blockades.

Police Major Philip John Libres, the chief of Carbon Police Station, said the two police officers assigned in the area were doing rounds in Freedom Park at the time of the occurrence.

According to Libres, the robbers who were parking on the side of the road in front of the pawnshop, pretending to be habal-habal drivers, were only observing the police.

Once they realized that the two police officers on beat patrol had left, they hurried inside the two jewelry stores.

The investigators are currently reviewing CCTV footages in the area in order to identify the perpetrators.

"We are back tracking through the CCTV footage for possible suspects, while at the same time doing a manhunt operation," stated Major Libres.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia expressed disappointment over the occurrence, noting that major robberies and other such incidents continue to happen even with increased police visibility on the streets.

"We will investigate this matter, akung ipatawag si Colonel Cañete karong hapon, and I will give him exactly 48 hours to solve this criminal act done by criminal elements here in our jurisdiction in the City of Cebu," Garcia said. (AYB, TPT)