URDANETA CITY–A robbery attempt on two commercial banks here was foiled last week with the discovery by the police of a newly-dug tunnel leading to these establishments.
The target banks are the BHF Bank/Pawnshop and May Bank located at the intersection of the Maharlika Highway at the city center.
Police officials theorize that the unidentified suspects may have already been digging the tunnel under the cover of night for several days, if not weeks.
The big concrete culvert being used as a drainage system along the highway was destroyed by the suspects then bore a tunnel to serve as entry points for the two banks.
Engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways remain puzzled as to how the suspects were able to easily bore a hole on the culvert, which is made of concrete materials.
Recovered from the tunnel were several pieces of good lumber, assorted dresses, shovels, and chisels for concrete structures and blunt-pointed instruments which are believed to have been used by the suspects to break the concrete culvert and dig the tunnel.
The police initially found an eight-feet long tunnel starting from the concrete culvert ending just below the BHF Bank/Pawnshop then later discovered another hole leading to the adjacent May Bank.
The police said the digging may likely have been undertaken around the time of the campaign and the May 10 election when everyone was busy.
An investigation is ongoing to identify the suspects.
Officials of banks in Urdaneta City have also held meetings with the police and the Department of Public Works and Highways to discuss security measures that could preempt a similar incident in the future.—LM
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