The Philippine National Police has stepped up operations against an alleged “Termite Gang” following the discovery of a tunnel used in a failed break-in at a pawnshop in Quezon City, authorities said.
PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered all regional units to tighten intelligence monitoring, boost coordination with private security, and conduct inspections of establishments considered vulnerable to organized theft, particularly pawnshops and financial institutions.
The latest incident occurred in Barangay Nova Proper, Novaliches, where police uncovered an underground passage believed to have been dug by suspects attempting to gain covert entry into a pawnshop.
According to the Novaliches Police Station under the Quezon City Police District, the plot was uncovered after a security guard reported unusual sounds coming from a manhole inside the establishment on the night of April 22. The report prompted an inspection the following day, leading to the discovery of the tunnel.
Investigators noted that the structure showed signs of careful excavation, consistent with tactics previously linked to groups that specialize in tunneling and structural breaches to bypass security systems.
Police credited the alertness of the guard and the quick response of authorities for preventing the planned heist and avoiding potential losses.
Nartatez said the incident reflects a more organized form of criminal activity, stressing that such operations require careful planning, specialized tools, and coordination.
He added that the PNP considers the case part of a broader pattern of organized property crimes and vowed to continue operations until those behind the scheme are identified and dismantled.
Authorities are now looking into possible connections between the incident and similar cases involving tunneling, wall breaching, and other methods used to evade security measures.
The intensified campaign forms part of the PNP’s ongoing efforts to improve crime prevention and response, while urging business owners and the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities.