Pawnshop security guard nabbed for P1.6M heist in Bacolod

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – He was supposed to guard the pawnshop, not rob it.

A security guard of a pawnshop in Bacolod City was nabbed in his hometown a day after he allegedly stole P1.5 million ($32,485.11) worth of jewelry and P160,000 ($3,465.08) in cash from the establishment’s vault.

Police identified the suspect as RJ Navarro, 28, a security guard of Nema Agency detailed at Agencia Negrense Pawnshop at Luzuriaga Street in downtown Bacolod City.

Senior Inspector Richard Fajarito, chief of Bacolod Police Station 1, said  pawnshop employees discovered the missing jewelry and cash on Thursday, August 13.

A pawnshop employee said that on August 12, Navarro returned to the pawnshop at around 8 pm. They both left an hour later.

Fajarito said  the suspect didn’t report for workthe next day, which led authorities to believe that Navarro was involved in the pawnshop heist.

He said the suspect’s girlfriend informed the police about his whereabouts, which led to his arrest on Thursday night.

Fajarito said that stolen jewelry had been recovered from the suspect’s aunt while only P70,000 ($1,515.97) of the P160,000 cash was recovered from the girlfriend.

The suspect is now detained at the Kabankalan City Police Station and faces qualified theft charges. – Rappler.com

US$1 = P46.18