6 robbery suspects arrested after Nueva Ecija convenience store heist

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Six suspected robbers were arrested following a hot pursuit operation after an armed robbery at a convenience store in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija on Tuesday evening, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday.

Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) Director Police Brigadier General Jess Mendez said the suspects, aged 19 to 22, allegedly barged into the convenience store in Barangay Pambuan at around 9:30 p.m.

“Pinasok dito yung convenience store, tinutukan ‘yung cashier, then umalis sila. Then good thing, nai-report naman agad,” Mendez told reporters in a phone patch interview.

(They entered the convenience store, targeted the cashier, then they left. Then good thing, it was reported right away.)

The suspects reportedly pointed a gun at the cashier, threatened the employees, took their money and their cellphones, and tied up the two victims using cable ties.

Eventually, the employees eventually managed to free themselves by cutting the cable ties and sought help from authorities.

The robbery was reported to the Gapan City Police Station at around 10:10 p.m., prompting police to immediately launch a hot pursuit operation.

“So mabilis tayong nagpakalat ng tracker team. Hanggang nagkakahabulan, hanggang nakarating ng boundary ng Santo Tomas, Batangas at Alaminos,” Mendez said.

(So we quickly deployed the tracker team. We chased them until we reached the boundary of Santo Tomas, Batangas and Alaminos.)

Cops tracked the suspects' van as it passed through several towns in Nueva Ecija before intercepting it near the boundary of Alaminos and Santo Tomas, where all six suspects were arrested.

Police recovered money allegedly taken from the convenience store, as well as license plates reportedly used by the suspects to switch the vehicle's plates to evade detection.

Appropriate criminal charges are being prepared against the arrested suspects.

Mendez said the suspects came from different places but were reportedly staying in the Taguig area.

The suspects were also allegedly involved in other robbery incidents in San Mateo and Rodriguez, Rizal, according to the police official.

One of the suspects had also been arrested in connection with a robbery case in March, he added.

Authorities are still verifying the vehicle's details and the exact amount of money taken from the convenience store as further investigation is ongoing. —RF, GMA News