In the recent tweet of Steven Tan, SM Vice President for Operations Premiere Malls; 7:14PM this evening the hammer gang struck a jewelry counter at the SM Store in MOA.
They were called "Hammer Gang" because of its use of hammers and other tools to smash open jewelry display cases. At its last mall robbery at SM North Edsa in December 2013, they were believed to have purchased the tools at a hardware store right before the crime.
Picture shown below was taken during the chaos yesterday at SM Mall of Asia.
One suspect has been nabbed while six (6) others eluded arrest as per NCRPO Chief Police Director Carmelo Valmoria. He also added, that there were seven (7) stagged the robbery using pipe wrench. Four (4) of the PNP responded, 2 of them engaged together with the SWAT team who are currently in the scene too.
It was already past 9:00PM when the authorities arrested one of the suspect who was found in the possession of a .45 caliber gun and two (2) pipe wrenches. While the other six suspects changed their clothes and mingled with the crowd during the commotion to escape the scene.
Hundreds of frightened shoppers, waiters and store clerks ran for there life amid gun fire towards the exit of the nearly four-hectare (10-acre) complex of Department Stores, boutiques, restaurants and entertainment establishments by Manila Bay.
The Security guard of the said Mall initially blocked the shoppers to exit because they were feared that some of them steal some items from the stores. But they were swept aside after another burst of gun fire.
One of the witness that I spoke to said, she saw several people screaming and crying, including parents who told her they had been separated from their children or other family members in the ensuing chaos.
This is a common tactic. These robbers would go into the shop and start smashing the display cases with a hammer to grab things inside. So what are the security doing and the police inside the malls if this is not the first time to happen in a SM Mall.
As we recall, there a lot of incidents already happened in some SM Malls. From SM San Fernando, when a kid brought a gun inside the Mall passed the Security check and killed another kid inside the mall. SM North Edsa with same case at SM Mall of Asia. Isn't this alarming?
If we are not safe in the premises of the malls where security guards frisk people, check bags etc and with Police doing some roving what more outside of it where Police are just sleeping in their stations? Will the President of the Republic of the Philippines can do something on this? This will scare the tourist to visit the country and scare the community to go out of their houses.
As per my sources, It's the fourth time in four years that the Hammer Gang - presumming it's the same group of robbers - robbed a SM Mall jewelry counter using the same methods. None of the perpetrators has been caught despite ubiquitous CCTV and a security guard and PNP at every dozen or so meters and guarded exits.
Mall authorities have not developed an effective way to counter the gang's tactics of getting lost in the commotion after their deed.
Mr. Tan earlier said from his tweet that there are no casualties were reported but later said my friend, an employee of a tenant store suffered a "grazing wound brought about by the confrontation" with police dispatched in the mall. She was immediately brought to the hospital and she's out of danger now.
Earlier today, Mr. Tan tweeted that the Mall operation is back to normal now.
Will it be SAFE to go in SM MALLS after those series of incidents?
Pasay City Police is currently investigating the incident to capture the rest of the robbers. But how long would it take since we don't have a capability to do some forensics like the United States of America where they spend money for those infrastructures and equipments to lessen crimes in their country.
If the Government will say, they don't have funds to spend for those equipments will evidently they were wrong. We used to have those funds if we have a honest leaders in the country. Those funds that can probably spend to those infrastructures are already in the pocket of our Politicians. One of the example is the PORK BARREL SCAM.
I hope our President can do something on these before he stepped down in 2016.
Mall of Asia is part of the SM SuperMalls retail chain controlled by the family of Henry Sy, the Philippines' richest man.
Written and Created by: Robbie Chan, MBA
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