CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Two men accused of robbing multiple fast food stores in Bulacan were arrested less than 24 hours after their alleged crime spree, in what police described as a “precision coordinated” operation amid heightened holiday security.

The suspects were traced to a hideout in Barangay 175, Caloocan City, on Monday morning, following a robbery at a Bustos fast food branch on 9 November. Police said the pair were also responsible for another heist in Sta. Maria earlier the same day.

Bulacan police, led by the Santa Maria Municipal Police, located the gray Toyota Avanza allegedly used as the getaway vehicle. Seized from the operation were ₱23,000 in cash (including coins), a .38 caliber revolver, two sets of license plates (NIQ 9065 and NIF 4547), and tools believed to have been used in the robberies.

Regional Director PBGen Ponce Rogelio Peñones Jr. said the swift arrest was the result of close coordination between intelligence and field units.

“This wasn’t just an arrest — it was a disruption of a threat,” he noted, adding that investigators believe the suspects were preparing new targets.

The operation forms part of the Philippine National Police’s Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO) strategy, which intensifies intelligence-led enforcement and patrol presence. Peñones said police visibility and surveillance would be further increased as holiday activity surges, warning criminal elements of “zero tolerance for crimes that disrupt public safety.”

Businesses are encouraged to report suspicious individuals or behavior to local police stations.

The suspects face robbery and illegal possession of firearms charges, while investigators continue to probe possible links to organized criminal groups.