MABALACAT, Pampanga -- Police arrested four men, including a minor, tagged in a series of armed robberies perpetrated by riders-in-tandem in various parts of this town.

Supt. Rodney Baloyo IV, chief of police here, identified the suspects as Racky Benosa, 22, a bagger at a grocery store; Julieto Nano, 27, jobless; Randy Dizon, 27; and a 17-year-old, all of Bgy. Mabiga, here.

Baloyo said the suspect’s latest victim was Sharoll Villareal, 32, who was walking home in Airmen’s Village in Mabiga at around 3:30 a.m. last Feb. 8 when two men on board a motorcycle stopped beside her, poked an icepick and grabbed her shoulder bag containing P20,000 and two Samsung cellphones worth P7,000.

The plate number of the suspects’ motorcycle (4041-UE) was seen by the victim’s husband who was on his way to fetch her. This led to the identification of Benosa who yielded a cal. .38 Armscor revolver when bodily searched by lawmen.

Benosa divulged the identities of his cohorts who were stopped and arrested at a police checkpoint on board a motorcycle.

Baloyo said a hand grenade was found inside the  compartment of the suspects’ motorcycle (4683-YP).

At the police station, Villareal positively identified Nano as the one who poked an ice pick at her.

Benosa, Nano and Dizon were charged with robbery with violence and intimidation against persons and illegal possession of firearm and ammunition or explosives before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. Their minor companion was turned over to the municipal social welfare office.