The four men who pretended to be police officers robbed a jeweler and his fellow rider in Brgy. 174, North Caloocan. The incident occurred on Friday night.
The victim, alias Jun, 28, said he had a transaction with a woman online about buying jewelry. They even had a video call and exchanged photos, so he was confident about meeting her.
Upon arriving at the meet-up location, they were met by four men riding two motorcycles. They were forced to the ground in front of a coffee shop and held at gunpoint. Their cellphone, a bag containing ₱272,000, two cellphones, and several IDs were taken.
According to his accomplice, alias Nestor, he resisted when the items were taken but was hit in the head with a gun. Police said the crime was planned because the meet-up location was moved from Quezon City to Caloocan.
Authorities have warned against trusting online conversations. It is safer to conduct transactions in a neutral and crowded place, especially if a large amount of money is involved. Investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend the suspects.
