Cotabato pawnshop manager missing with P13-M worth of jewelry

COTABATO CITY --Police authorities here are hunting down a lady manager of a pawnshop who fled with about P13 million worth of jewelry, gold, diamond and expensive wrist watches.In a police report, the Cotabato City Police Station 1 identified the suspect as Maria Sally Garcia who also goes by the name Sally Biadog Garcia, a resident of Parang, Maguindanao and manager of a pawnshop located along Don Rufino Alonzo Avenue. She remained at large.The pawnshop owner offered P200,000 reward for any information leading to her location and eventual arrest. Informants are advised to get in touch with the local police office. The pawnshop owner asked that she andthe establishment remained unidentified while efforts are underway to recover the stolen items. She discovered Sunday that the safety vault was empty and that Garcia could no longer be found or reached through her mobile phone.Missing were about 700 pieces of gold jewelry items from several safety vaults of pawnshop's branches in the city.Police said the owner believed Garcia has long been robbing the pawnshop of valuable items but it was only discovered lately.The owner told police that Garcia pawned the items she took from her branch to another pawnshop.On Wednesday, after the owner managed to secure search warrants, the police recovered the items Garcia had pawned which included 423 jewelry items with an estimated pawned amount of P6 million.The owner is seeking another search warrant so other items pawned by Garcia to other pawnshops could be recovered.Six pawnshop workers from other branchesare now detained at the police station for further questioning.Police believed Garcia paid her way to other pawnshop branchesand took the items. They are facing charges as Garcia's accomplish.Invited for questioning wereIrene Culong, Emiliana Santos Bueno, Ely Ecayan Dechosa, Delia Cabales Camacho, Cherrylene Sia Catalina and Arbel Garcia.The owner advised the six employees to return the missing items or help locate Garciaso they will no longer be charged.