The Southern Police District on Thursday announced the arrest of three members of a criminal gang believed responsible for a series of robbery incidents involving Alfamart convenience store branches in south Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
SPD director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg said the suspects, identified as Vez Nathaniel Sunga, 34; Gerald Daroy, 27, and Eduardo lgnacio, 49, all of Tondo, Manila, were members of the notorious Lucky robbery and kidnapping group.
He said the suspects were arrested in a hot pursuit operation at Molave Compound in Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City on Tuesday, just a few hours after the gang robbed the Alfamart store at Meliton Espiritu Compound branch in Barangay San Antonio in Parañaque City.
Macaraeg said the suspects entered the store using a bolt cutter, destroyed the roll-up door padlock, and took one CCTV digital video recorder, a computer; and more than P60,000 cash.
Witnesses told the police the suspects fled on board a Nissan Serena after the incident. But the Parañaque City Police chanced upon the getaway car and followed the suspects all the way to Pasig City.
“With the assistance of the mobile patrollers of Pasig City police, the suspects were arrested,” Macaraeg said.
The police seized the Nissan Serena and the computer monitor, along with three car license plates, one bolt cutter, one pointed steel flat bar, duct tape, black sling bag, black umbrella, three bull cap, and six assorted keys.
Upon verification at the Land Transportation Office, the vehicle was found to be registered under the name of the West Minister High School Inc, with address at Honorio Lopez Blvd. Balut, Tondo, Manila.
Further investigation also revealed that Sunga is one of the gang’s leaders, while lgnacio was previously arrested, also for robbery in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City and currently on bail.
Daroy, on the other hand, was also arrested in the past for robbery extortion and violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
“The same criminal group was also tagged as responsible for a series of robbery incidents involving the Alfamart convenience stores in Rizal, Cavite, Batangas and Laguna provinces using the same modus,” Macaraeg said.
Macaraeg ordered his men to dig deeper into the case and go after other members of the group.