Gas station loses P110K in burglary

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

The daily earnings of a gasoline station in Molo, Iloilo City was swept clean in a burglary that was discovered early morning of Jan 24, 2023.

Based on its inventory, the management of Shell Gasoline Station at Avanceña Street, Barangay North San Jose, Molo, declared losing P110,932.

The amount was the station’s sales from 10 a.m. Monday until its closing at 10 p.m.

The incident was discovered around 5 a.m. Tuesday when the station was about to open for business.

According to pump attendant Kent Paul Gardose, he was about to start work when he noticed that there was no electrical power.

When he checked their administration office, he discovered that all switches of the circuit breaker panel were turned off.

Gardose switched them on and subsequently the lights.

He then noticed that the cash deposit vault was already opened and the window glass of the office was already detached from its frame.

Gardose then informed the management and the incident was reported to police authorities more than an hour later.

Staff Sergeant Mark John Suganob, Iloilo City Police Station 4 investigator, said the establishment was equipped with a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera.

But the Digital Video Recorder (DVR) of the CCTV was missing.

It appeared that the suspect entered through the office window. The window had iron grills but these were not padlocked.

It remains a mystery how the suspect or suspects managed to open the cash vault which has two different keys.

Suganob said the vault also has a number combination lock system but it has been disabled.

“The area was not in disarray. The robber seemingly knew what to look for,” he said.

Suganob said it’s likely that only one person got inside the office.

Members of the PNP Regional Forensic Unit 6 recovered a Shell uniform cap from the broken window.