BUTUAN CITY — More than ₱700,000 in sales collections was stolen after unidentified burglars broke into a department store inside Robinson Place Butuan in Barangay Bayanihan during the early hours of July 9, 2026, authorities said.
According to the Butuan City Police Station 3, the incident was reported at around 10:10 a.m. by the department store’s manager, Vic Balbutin Melendrez, together with the establishment’s executive officer after employees discovered the break-in.
Police investigation and CCTV footage revealed that the suspects carried out a carefully planned burglary.
Investigators said that at approximately 2:34 a.m., at least two masked men were seen entering the department store’s Administration Office, where the company’s vaults were located. Authorities later found evidence suggesting that the suspects gained entry through the building’s stockroom on the ground floor before accessing the administrative area.
The burglars reportedly attempted to force open both the GoTyme and BPI automated teller machines (ATMs) inside the establishment at around 3:03 a.m., but failed to retrieve any cash from the machines.
Unable to access the ATMs, the suspects proceeded to the vault room at around 3:10 a.m., where they forcibly opened two company vaults containing the store’s sales collections.
Before leaving, the suspects deliberately destroyed several CCTV cameras inside the office in an apparent attempt to erase evidence of the crime.
However, the final footage recovered from the surveillance system showed the suspects leaving the premises at approximately 3:55 a.m., carrying away more than ₱700,000 in cash, along with several pieces of merchandise, including T-shirts, sling bags, and long pants.
Entry Through Ceiling and Drainage System
A joint crime scene investigation conducted by responding police officers uncovered signs of forced entry inside the establishment.
Authorities discovered a manhole inside the department store’s ground-floor stockroom, which investigators believe was used by the suspects to enter and exit the building.
Another hole was also found near the adjacent 2GO Building, strengthening investigators’ theory that the burglars accessed the mall through an underground drainage canal before breaching the wall leading into the department store.
Police also found that the suspects had damaged portions of the ceiling and forced open the Administration Office vaults during the burglary.
Investigation Ongoing
Authorities are continuing follow-up investigations and intelligence operations to identify and arrest those responsible for the heist.
Police are also reviewing additional CCTV footage from surrounding establishments and gathering forensic evidence that could lead to the suspects’ identification.
Investigators have yet to determine whether the burglary was carried out by members of an organized theft group familiar with the mall’s layout and security system.
Meanwhile, authorities are expected to coordinate with mall management to strengthen security measures and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The stolen cash and merchandise remain unrecovered as of this writing, while police continue their pursuit of those behind one of the city’s most significant commercial burglaries in recent months.