CEBU CITY, Philippines – Authorities in Central Visayas have arrested Jake Camotes, the suspected mastermind behind the ₱14 million Oro Sugbo Pawnshop robbery that occurred on November 25, 2023, along Colon Street in Cebu City.
Camotes, a resident of Carcar City, Cebu, was apprehended by police based on five standing arrest warrants. His arrest took place last week at his residence, following surveillance operations that tracked his movements between Carcar City and the mountainous areas of Sibonga.
According to Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan, chief of the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO-7), Camotes is the leader of a robbery-holdup group behind the Oro Sugbo heist, during which an estimated ₱14 million worth of jewelry was stolen.
Three other members of Camotes’ group had already been arrested and are currently held under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). Camotes has since joined them and is now detained at the Cebu City Jail.
During the arrest, police recovered a .45 caliber pistol and a grenade from the suspect.
As of this writing, three more members of the robbery group remain at large. Authorities continue their operations to bring all those involved to justice.
