Termite gang robs Iloilo mall pawnshop, jewelry store

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By Jennifer P. Rendon

Saved only by a few watch straps, nearly everything was reported stolen from a pawnshop and jewelry store allegedly robbed by the Termite Gang inside a mall in Pavia, Iloilo.

The robbery was discovered around 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 17 and reported to police about an hour later.

The incident took place at GT Town Center in Barangay Ungka II. The initial report came from a 22-year-old security guard assigned to the mall.

Aside from the jewelry store, a nearby money changer shop was also ransacked.

Police said the guard was conducting a routine perimeter inspection when he noticed debris on the floor beneath the mall ceiling.

Further inspection led him to a broken wall inside the Nuat Thai massage center.

Responding officers later found a man-made hole inside the spa, but no valuables were reported missing from the massage parlor itself.

Instead, police confirmed that the suspects’ primary targets were the adjacent jewelry and pawnshop, as well as the money changer.

Col. Bayani Razalan, Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director, said it appeared the suspects used the mall’s drainage system to gain access to the building.

Investigators inspected manholes that connect to the Nuat Thai massage center.

Razalan said the suspects likely entered through an open culvert, then used a jack to pry open the flooring of the spa.

“From the drainage, tinatapan nila ang Nuat Thai. Ginamitan nila ng jack para ma-open ang flooring ng spa,” he said.

Once inside, the suspects climbed through the ceiling and accessed the adjacent establishments.

They also targeted the neighboring money changer, which initially reported a loss of PHP 500,000.

The jewelry store has yet to declare the value of stolen cash and jewelry, pending a complete inventory.

Based on the method used in the break-in, Razalan said the suspects may be linked to the so-called Termite Gang.

However, he noted it remains uncertain whether they are part of the original group previously known to authorities.

The Termite Gang is known for robbing banks, pawnshops, and commercial establishments by using bolt cutters, hydraulic jacks, and excavation tools to force entry.

The group was originally traced to the Cordillera region, where many members were reportedly skilled in mining and digging.

“But I already designated a team to look into the CCTV cameras in the area,” Razalan said.

He added that investigators believe the suspects planned the break-in for at least three weeks.

The Pavia Municipal Police Station is currently preparing documents to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

CCTV footage has been secured, and police have identified three persons of interest.

Previous incidents

The last reported robbery linked to the Termite Gang occurred in August 2024.

Thieves stole around PHP 1.3 million in cash from the Iloilo Supermart branch in Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro.

In April 2023, a jewelry stall at a mall in La Paz, Iloilo City was also robbed.

Most recently, on Dec. 5, a stall in Balasan, Iloilo lost an estimated PHP 5 million worth of jewelry and 33 mobile phones worth PHP 359,000.