By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol ChroniclePolice are now investigating local connections and backers of the Casimiro "Meloy" Garcia robbery group.
This was bared by City Mayor Dan Lim in an interview with the Chronicle yesterday.
All robberies of the Garcia group appeared to have been carried out with "insider information", the mayor said.
Lim cited reports of the police showing that the holdup of a Unitop Department Store cashier in December last year, which is owned by the Garcia group, strongly points to an "inside job".
The cashier was on the way to deposit the store's collections amounting to over P500,000 at the First Consolidated Bank when Meloy's group hit them. The cashier's escort guard was shot at close range and died on the spot.
Garcia also admitted his group was responsible in the robbery of an ICM cashier, employees of FCB Foundation, Caltex gas station and another gas station in Talibon town.
The Garcia group, according to the mayor, could not have accomplished the robberies without information from people who knew their targets well.
The ICM cashier was about to transfer over P300,000 to a security agency within the mall's premises when Garcia's band struck.
The cashier's escort security guards failed to catch up with the bandits.
On the other hand, the three FCB employees had just withdrawn some P300,000 for the bank's funded community projects in the towns when Garcia and his group blocked them outside the bank and took away the cash.
Probably the most daring hit of the group was the robbery of the Caltex gas station near Plaza Rizal, this city.
Days before the holdup, one member of the gang called the City PNP station saying that they would rob the said gas station.
This prompted the police to set up surveillance in the area. However, the group struck at lunchtime.
During his weekly "Mayor's Report," Lim indicated that some residents could be cuddling robbers and lawless elements.
Lim warned he is giving 30-days for all suspected criminal elements to stay away from Tagbilaran City.
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=3927.0