GENERAL SANTOS CITY — A suspected getaway vehicle used by alleged shoplifters crashed into a canal along Dacera Avenue corner Mabuhay Road in the City Heights area early morning, leading to the arrest of one suspect while two others managed to escape, authorities said.
The incident happened at around 4 a.m. after three individuals were reportedly involved in a shoplifting incident at a convenience store in the area, believed to be a branch of 7-Eleven. According to initial information gathered from witnesses and police, the suspects allegedly took several items, including perfumes and alcoholic beverages, from the establishment.
A cashier from the store claimed the individuals appeared intoxicated, noting that they smelled strongly of alcohol. The store’s manager also suggested that the suspects might have resorted to theft after possibly realizing they could no longer pay for the items they had taken.
Security personnel attempted to confront the suspects after the alleged shoplifting incident. However, the group quickly fled the scene using a white **Suzuki Celerio.
Police said three people were inside the vehicle at the time — the driver identified as Franklin, a female companion, and a male passenger seated at the back. Authorities clarified that the incident was not a robbery or hold-up but a case of shoplifting.
During their attempted escape, the suspects reportedly sped away but lost control of the vehicle upon reaching the intersection of Dacera Avenue and Mabuhay Road. Witnesses said the driver was startled after another vehicle suddenly emerged from a nearby street, causing the car to veer off and plunge into a box culvert canal.
The impact left the car heavily lodged inside the drainage structure, reportedly making it difficult even for a tow truck to immediately retrieve the vehicle from the canal.
After the crash, the driver and the female suspect reportedly flagged down another passing vehicle in an attempt to escape. Coincidentally, the vehicle they stopped turned out to be driven by the same security guard from the establishment they allegedly shoplifted from. When the guard made a U-turn and the driver realized who he was, the suspects jumped out of the vehicle and ran toward the direction of a nearby **Jollibee branch.
The third passenger, who remained at the crash site, was subsequently apprehended by responding officers from Police Station 4. Police identified him as a 20-year-old construction worker from Barangay San Juan West. He reportedly claimed that he was only invited by his companions to pay for the items they were supposed to buy because they were planning to take a bath and purchase food and drinks beforehand.
Authorities said the driver and the female suspect, both reportedly residents of Barangay Fatima, also in the western part of the city, are still at large as of this writing.
Police confirmed that the suspects attempted to flee following the alleged theft but ended up crashing into the canal, which led to the arrest of one of them. Law enforcement units are continuing their investigation and have launched a follow-up operation to locate and arrest the two remaining suspects.
The incident has drawn attention from residents in the City Heights area, particularly due to the unusual circumstances surrounding the crash and the dramatic escape attempt that followed. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the whereabouts of the two suspects to coordinate with the nearest police station.