CAMP OLIVAS -- A candidate for town councilor in Magalang town lost more than P500,000 to suspected members of the "Bukas-Kotse" Gang, after his car was burglarized while parked at the Marquee Mall in Barangay Pulung Maragul, Angeles City over the weekend.
Chief Supt. Arturo Cacdac, Central Luzon police director, identified the victim as Janus Gatbonton Calara, 27, a resident of Sitio Balibago, Barangay San Nicolas ll, Magalang, Pampanga.
Calara told police investigators he discovered that his Mitsubishi Pajero (XNB-774) was burglarized after attending to his business inside the mall.
He said he immediately inquired the duty guards of the shopping complex but failed to get any positive response. The sentinel detailed at the parking area did not notice anything unusual while he was on post.
Calara told police he noticed the glass window of the passenger side broken when he returned to his vehicle after a couple of minutes at the supermarket.
Reported missing were an Acer laptop worth P70,000; leather black bag containing P500,000; Banco de Oro ATM Cards; BDO passbook; BDO credit cards; Firearms License Card and Permit to Carry outside Residence and a handgun, a Glock .45 caliber pistol; cellular phones and various keys.
Senior Supt. Danilo Bautista, acting director of the Angeles City Police Office, told Station 3 policemen to exert efforts in curbing Bukas-Kotse activities at the shopping center.
"Bukas-Kotse" and other crimes such as snatching and robbery are often committed at the mall because of poor security, a businessman who declined to be named told Central Luzon Daily. He said it was not the first time that cash and valuables were lost in said shopping complex.
On Friday, two vehicles were looted of its contents in Barangay Balibago by suspected members of a "Bukas-kotse" Gang. One of the vehicles is registered under the name of former Department of Justice Secretary Hernando Perez.