Police arrested four robbery suspects in two separate incidents in the Novaliches district on Thursday, including two men who were trapped inside a store by its owner.

The first incident occurred around 3:00 a.m. at a sari-sari store along Susano Road. Authorities said the suspects, identified as alias “Rex” and alias “Aldin,” allegedly entered the establishment through a hole they cut in the ceiling.

The store owner discovered the break-in while attempting to open the business and managed to lock the suspects inside the building. Officers from Novaliches Police Station 4 arrived shortly after and arrested the men, recovering all stolen items.

Later that afternoon, at 2:30 p.m., police responded to a reported armed robbery in Barangay Sta. Monica. The victim told investigators that two men had threatened them at gunpoint and stolen a cellphone.

The victim identified the suspects from a police photo gallery, leading to a follow-up operation. Authorities arrested two men, identified as alias “Ronnel” and alias “Rodel,” on a nearby street just hours after the crime.

Police recovered the victim’s phone, a sling bag, and an improvised firearm loaded with a 40mm bullet.

A records check revealed that three of the four suspects—Rex, Ronnel, and Rodel—have prior robbery cases. All four men are being held pending charges at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.