3 persons robbed, pawnshop burglarized

Three persons were robbed while a pawnshop was burglarized in separate incidents in the past few days on Saipan.

Department of Public Safety acting spokesman Sgt. Thomas A. Blas Jr. said the first robbery case happened near the security gate of Neo Fashion Garment in San Antonio on Wednesday night.

Yan Shu Zhao, 33, lost her purse containing $200 cash, wallet, cell phone, identification card, and a CNMI driver’s license to the suspect.

Blas said preliminary investigation showed that Zhao and a companion were walking toward the Neo Fashion compound when an unidentified man grabbed the victim’s purse from behind then fled.

Zhao described the suspect as about 5’9” to 6’0” tall, slim, dark skinned, with long hair, and was wearing a long-sleeved camouflage (military type) shirt.

The second robbery incident occurred at the parking lot of YTT Gold building in San Antonio Thursday night.

Zakir MD. Hossain, 36, lost his bag and a set of house keys to two robbers.

Blas said preliminary investigation revealed that Hossain had pulled in his vehicle at the parking lot of YTT Gold.

An unidentified man opened the right passenger door of Hossain’s vehicle and grabbed his bag that was on the passenger seat.

The suspect fled on a black or dark blue Toyota pickup being driven by another man.

Hossain described the one who grabbed his bag as about 5’5” tall, dark skinned, slim built, and had a black boonie cap on.

The driver of the getaway vehicle was wearing a gray shirt and was medium built.

The last robbery ended up in a car crash at the parking lot of Payless Supermarket in Chalan Kanoa Friday at 1:02am, according to police.

Blas said the victim, a 31-year-old Chinese man, was robbed of his money and cell phone by two unidentified men.

Investigation indicated that the victim was driving north aboard his 2005 Toyota Corolla in San Antonio when two men stopped him. The two men got inside the car and forced the victim to drive north.

As the victim was driving, the suspects assaulted him and took his money and cell phone.

The victim drove his car to the parking lot of Payless Supermarket and crashed it into a parked Toyota Four Runner.

The suspects fled on foot.

Meanwhile, an activated alarm at Villaroyal Pawnshop in Gualo Rai early Sunday morning caused the arrest of 27-year-old Kehdes Esteban Paulino who allegedly burglarized the establishment.

Blas said responding police officers Regino Celis and Jerome Reyes found Paulino hiding under a shelf inside the pawnshop.

Investigators learned that Paulino, a Pohnpeian, entered the establishment by damaging the rear window.

Paulino was detained for burglary and criminal mischief.

During a hearing yesterday, Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert Naraja imposed a $1,500 cash bail plus $3,500 unsecured bond for the defendant’s temporary release.