By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

At least P400,000 worth of supplies were allegedly stolen from the Negros Occidental Provincial Engineer’s Office motorpool in Bacolod City’s Gatuslao Street.

Arnel Argusar, Provincial General Services Office head, said they discovered that some supplies went missing following their regular inventory on October 31.

According to their initial probe, the suspects accessed a hole in the motorpool supply room.

The hole was not noticed easily as the suspects covered it with hollow blocks.

The stolen items were 21 vehicle batteries and motor oil.

Argusar said they believe that the suspects may have been occupants of the house adjacent to the supply room.

A further investigation of the incident is being conducted to determine the possibility of an inside job.

Police later recovered the five stolen vehicle batteries during an operation in the city’s Barangay Pahanocoy.

However, the investigation encountered a setback as one of the contacts who facilitated the purchase of the batteries died in an accident.

The case has already been referred to the Provincial Legal Office./DGB, WDJ