List of gangs in the Philippines

• Notable criminally-active gangs in the • Dugo-Dugo Gang

Philippines include: • Kuratong Baleleng
• Aludig-Boys • MARTILYO GANG
• Akyat-Bahay Gang • Salisi Gang
• Bahala Na Gang • Zesto Gang
• Budol-Budol Gang • Satanas (gang)

LOCAL “MARTILYO/BOLTCUTTER” GANG

Martilyo Gang is the term used to identify robbers who used hammers or crow bars to smash 'display cabinets', which are
made of glass, in jewelry shops.
Martilyo simply means "hammer".

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The truth is, these “gangs” don’t exist and the police are only generalizing. “It may seem confusing but the ‘gangs’ are not
real gangs. They don’t have actual members. Their names are based on the modi operandi perpetrated by the criminals”

"Martilyo Gang" is one of the most notorious gangs that exists in the Philippines. They usually invade jewelery stores or
sections in a department stores and take away some jeweleries that are placed in a display and covered with glass. They
were named "Martilyo Gang" because of using hammer or other tools as a weapon that allows to break the glass. In most
cases, they bring guns secretly and fired after taking away jeweleries in order to escape that leads to a large commotion and
panic to the customers.

The Balane Group and Martilyo Gang were known for using hammers, wrenches and crowbars to smash glass display cases
in taking jewelry and other valuable items, as seen in the 2013 robbery in SM Megamall and SM North EDSA.

METHODS OF OPERATIONS
Thugs break into business establishments bydestroying the stores’ padlocks using bolt cutters. Robbers use hammers
(martilyo in Filipino) to smash the glass on jewelry display cases inmalls. Modern criminal also use pipe wrenches.

Thugs smash windshields, usually with the help of cloth to muzzle the sound, and steal the valuables inside the vehicle.
Common targets are parked cars where unattended bags or other valuables, such as wallet and cellular phones, are visible
through the windows.

CRIMES OFTEN COMMITTED

✓ The leader of the 'Martilyo Gang,' a group known for using hammers to break open jewelry display cases.
✓ The Martilyo Gang is known for using hammers and other tools bought in the mall to break open jewelry display
cases and steal millions of pesos worth of items. It targets major malls and establishments in Metro Manila.
✓ BANK AND SHOP ROBBERS
• Bolt Cutter Gang: Thugs break into business establishments by destroying the stores’ padlocks using bolt
cutters.
• Martilyo Gang: Robbers use hammers (martilyo in Filipino) to smash the glass on jewelry display cases
in malls. Modern criminal also use pipe wrenches.

TERRITORIAL COVERAGE
Police are investigating former agents of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) who were
linked to the "Martilyo Gang" which allegedly carted away about P3.3 million worth of jewelry in at least five pawnshop
robberies in Metro Manila.

The suspect is in the target list of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Philippine National Police
(PNP) Oplan Lambat-Sibat.

FATIMA ANNE B. BUNGALSO BSCRIM - IV

PASAY CITY - March 31, 2014. The "Martilyo Gang" is believed to have struck anew at an SM mall, using the cover of
a heavy weekend crowd to hasten their escape after a brazen jewelry heist, this time on Sunday night at SM's crown jewel,
the Mall of Asia in Pasay City. The "Martilyo Gang" is called that because of its use of hammers and other tools to smash
open jewelry display cases. At its last mall robbery at SM North in December, they were believed to have purchased their
tools at a hardware store right before the crime.

BACOLOD City – Additional robbery charges were filed Tuesday against the 12 armed men believed to be members of
“Martilyo Gang” that was tagged in the jewelry heist here last Aug 7, 2019. Three identified suspects and their companions
barged inside Gaisano City Grand Mall and smashed the glass shelves of the two jewelry stores with hammers, and robbed
them with about P4.5 million worth of jewelry.

HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR SHOPPING CENTERS AND STORES IN YOUR COMMUNITY?
Store Security Plan and Procedure

• The first priority of the store and the authorities in the community should be the prevention of egress for any kind
of robbery in band groups or individual criminal that will cause potential losses and damage to the store or its store
owners. From the store proper, to any kind of parking area, all points of egress for the perpetrators must be stopped.
• The store can install a system of effective security road blocks to deter perpetrators from exiting the premises during
escape after a criminal act.
• Alongside locking down the perpetrators of a robbery or similar group, is immediate
neutralization anddemobilization, thereby preventing the same perpetrators from causing further harm and damage
to life and property within the mall premises.
• A similarly important security procedure is to place the entire the store or similar facility in NCRPO
under heightened alert, considerably increase target hardening for an indefinite extended period once that facility
receives a bomb threat. All measures may be taken to prevent, coopt and interdict any criminal act that will follow.
After about more than one (1) month, the security may be eased however for practical purposes, random alert and
heightened security may be called by the security manager.
• The security guards that fled the scene of the robbery should be interviewed thoroughly by the SPD and be given
authorized leave with pay by the store-PSAs employing them.

Web photos of MARTILYO GANG robbery in Metro Manila

FATIMA ANNE B. BUNGALSO BSCRIM - IV